A woman in central Pratapgarh district throws handfuls of ash from the kitchen stove on ripening rice. Many farmers in Uttar Pradesh still limit the use of chemical pesticides, or continue using traditional materials, like ash, alongside chemical pesticides to control insect pests on rice. A Zitting Cisticola sat undeterred (not visible here), presumably near its nest, as a cloud of ash fell on and around it - now that would have been an excellent photo to get!(Photograph details: 23 Sep 2008; Pratapgarh district.)
Haha! As if they don't do enough already to bother nesting birds!
ReplyDeleteGopi: How does ash work on bugs?
Beej - fine dust of any sort increases dessication of insects. KV - hope not!
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