Control of Crabs with Crude BHC

Abstract

CRABS, of which the commonest is Sesarma africanum, H. M. Edw., are numerous on the tidal rice lands of Sierra Leone and destroy large numbers of newly planted rice seedlings. In normal farming practice, this has little appreciable effect on yields as sufficient seedlings are planted in each stand to allow for losses. In the past three years, however, there has been a considerable increase in the crab population on the farm of the West African Rice Research Station, and serious damage has been caused to experimental material.