Wander through any flower market in Shanghai at this time of year, and you are likely to see plenty customers inspecting and paying outrageous prices for crickets.

"All local flower and bird markets prosper from the cricket business at this time of the year," said Ding Youhao, manager of the Shanghai Wanshang Flower and Bird Market.

About 300 venders at the market are currently engaged in the cricket business, according to Ding, with up to 10,000 of the insects sold each day.

Ding can't say just how much money is spent on crickets on an average day as the price for each fighter ranges from 2 yuan to 10,000 yuan (US$1,200) or more.

"It depends on their pot-ential to fight," said a man surnamed Wang who was selecting his ideal fighter.

According to Wang, the major criteria in judging a cricket are the size of its body and teeth, its color and the sound it makes.

Like Wang, most cricket buyers at the market appear to be over 40.

"Today's young generation is more interested in com-puter games than in cricket fighting - an obsolete game in their opinion," said Ding, "The trade has been in gradual decline these years."

Usually, the cricket fighting starts around September 20, when the young crickets' teeth are fully grown.

"There are organized cricket fights, joined by cricket lovers, but the fights are not big," said Li Jiachun, a 59-year veteran of the "sport" and the author of a book on the skills of raising and fighting crickets.

Fighting crickets are placed in weight classes "somewhat like boxing," according to Li, and placed in a jar with their opponent. The first cricket who can no longer fight loses.

The high prizes for top fighters is due, not surprisingly, to gambling, Li said, noting that most of the high-priced crickets traded in the local markets are from north China's Shandong Province, where the cold weather and alkaline soil make the insects tougher.