Plague of crickets hits the south if Island

Many towns and villages in the south of the island have been hit by a plague of crickets. Hundreds of the insects have taken over the streets, squares, waste land, and even find their way in to houses and bars in areas such as Ses Salines and Colonia de Sant Jordi, although they are also found in Campos, Porreres and Santanyi. Neighbours complain that they cannot sleep at night and want something done about it. People say that the crickets have not been seen in such numbers for more than 20 years. Nobody can pinpoint the cause of the plague, although most people attribute it to the unusual weather this summer, which has been wet. The Local Police in Ses Salines confirmed that since June they had been receiving complaints from neighbours unable to stop the insects from invading their homes. Some people have reported more than 100 of them inside the house, and most people have opted for fumigating with powerful insecticides. Mayor of Ses Salines Joan Burguera said that in addition to the crickets there had also been a plague of cockroaches and last August, he had ordered the fumigation of the sewers following complaints from residents. There have also been complaints about rats. Many residents said that at night, the crickets form a black carpet around the lamp posts and it is uncomfortable walking at night. In view of the many complaints, neighbours say that it is about time the council took a hand in matters and ordered a campaign to exterminate the crickets.