Black field cricket (Teleogryllus commodus) food preferences between sixteen pasture species

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Abstract
The consumption of plant species as 15-day-old foliage, 48-day-old foliage, seedlings, or seed by nymphal and adult black field crickets Teleogryllus commodus (Walker) (Orthoptera:Gryllidae) was used to determine preference rankings using a balanced lattice design. Crickets discriminated between the various food items; the choice between the plant species was due to a definite preference. A high preference was shown for the main common pasture species of New Zealand improved pasture, particularly perennial ryegrass and white clover. The least favoured plant species, paspalum, phalaris and lotus major, are worth further investigation for persistence and productivity under black field cricket attack.