Tree cricket

The tree cricket (lat. Oecanthus) belongs to the order Orthoptera and the family Gryllidae. Unlike most crickets, these insects are specialized in damaging woody and herbaceous plants, using their strong mandibles to create pathways within the plant tissues.

The main damage is caused by females during the egg-laying process. They chew deep holes into the soft stems of fruit trees, grapevines, raspberries, and blackberries. Inside these incisions, the insect deposits its eggs, which leads to tissue rupture, disruption of sap flow, and often the withering of the affected branch part.

The biological life cycle consists of one generation per year. The eggs overwinter directly inside the woody stems. In the spring, nymphs hatch and begin feeding on young leaves and tender plant parts, eventually maturing into adults by mid-summer, ready for reproduction.

A characteristic sign of infestation is a series of holes or long longitudinal punctures on the stems, which frequently result in the breakage of canes under the weight of the fruit or during strong winds. These damaged plants become highly susceptible to infections, fungi, and bacterial diseases that enter through the open wounds.

Control measures combine agrotechnical and chemical strategies. It is essential to perform regular sanitary pruning and destroy infested stems before the nymphs hatch. In cases of high pest density, registered systemic insecticides should be applied during the growing season.

• Pruning infested stems during late autumn or early spring.
• Burning plant debris to eliminate overwintering eggs.
• Application of contact-stomach insecticides during mass adult emergence.
• Maintaining garden hygiene and controlling weed populations.