‘Mormon Cricket sludge’ causes multiple big rig crashes, Nevada sheriff says

Police in Nevada say that rain combined with “Mormon Cricket sludge” on the roadway caused several big rig crashes.

On Saturday, May 25, the Eureka County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO) said that multiple crashes occurred on I-80 near Winnemucca, Nevada, “due to rain and Mormon Cricket sludge.”

Mormon Crickets are large, flightless katydids that are native to the western U.S.

“Mormon Crickets and Rain make roadways EXTREMELY slick and unpredictable for stopping distance,” ECSO said.

ECSO shared several photos of commercial vehicles that crashed due to the Mormon Crickets on the roadway.

In the 2022 video below out of Idaho, you can see state transportation department vehicles clearing a large number of Mormon Crickets off the roadway to make it safer to drive.