Crickets came from Hill's

Wednesday, November 04, 2009 12:03 PM  |  Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend |

By Jessie Burchette

jburchette@salisburypost.com

The crickets featured in the North Rowan High School Cricket Caper of 2009 were apparently purchased from Hill's Minnow Farm on Bringle Ferry Road.

Initially, an employee said they hadn't sold any large quantities of crickets.

Turns out Hill's sold seven tubes of crickets Sunday afternoon to a "real pretty little girl" who showed up with "a box large enough to hold 10,000 crickets."

She bought an estimated 500. Each tube holds around six to seven dozen.

Terry Hill, store owner, said the girl wanted more — wanted thousands, but they weren't readily available. It would have taken a special order.

The would-be pranksters first came to the store Friday afternoon wanting to buy lots of crickets and full of questions.

Anita Waller, store manger, said the girls were giggling a lot, wanting to know how to keep them and how long they would live.

Asked why they wanted the crickets, one said it was for a prank.

Apparently concerned that the crickets might not live until Sunday, they opted to come back.

Waller advised them to bring a cardboard box for transport.

The " real pretty little girl" came Sunday afternoon with a large cardboard box and paid about $25 for the seven tubes.

Hill said she wanted a box which is 1,000 crickets, but they had already been released into a holding area.

During the fall and winter months, the store gets about 3,000 crickets a week — three boxes.

In cold weather, the crickets don't live long — usually three to four weeks.

Dan Nicholas Park is the best customer this time of year, serving up the crickets to lizards and snakes.

The store's security cameras caught the girls' visits.

Initially, Hill offered to release the pictures, but later declined, citing concern of being sued.