GRASSHOPPER CONTROL FOR THE HOME GARDEN
COMMON NAME: Grasshopper, Locust, or @1*%+$!.
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Acrididae.
DESCRIPTION:
Adults - These insects range from very small to over three inches in length and appear to be "armor-plated". The antennae are short, the mouthparts prominent and the hind legs are enlarged for great jumping power. The wings are well-developed and can be up to three inches in length. Colors include black, brown, red, green, yellow, or multi-colored.
Nymphs - These are simply smaller versions of the adults but without wings or with very short wing-stubs as they mature.
Eggs - The rice-shaped, yellow or cream-colored eggs are laid in soil or weeds. The eggs are surrounded by a hardened jelly-like substance and the clusters can contain up to 75 eggs in one "pod".
LIFE CYCLE: The eggs hatch in late spring or early summer (April - June). The young nymphs feed voraciously on just about anything they can find. When they have grown to their adult size and have developed wings, they then fly to find new food sources. These pests feed by day and spend the nights in tall weeds or shrubs. They can also be found on fence posts or the sides of buildings. In late summer they mate and the females lay clusters of eggs up to three inches deep in the soil. There is only one generation per year.
PLANTS USUALLY AFFECTED: Almost all garden and field crops.
TIME OF YEAR: From April until frost (usually late October). They become more visible when they are full grown and can fly to new areas. Large numbers of these pests can be seen in Cochise County in August and September.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Grasshoppers cause general, all-round damage to crops. They eat holes in the middle of leaves, chew large jagged chunks out of the side of the foliage or just eat the entire plant, leaves, stems and all! As you walk through your garden or move the foliage with your hands, they will jump or fly to get away from you.
PROBLEMS AND DAMAGE: Besides the general loss of foliage through voracious feeding, the grasshoppers chew right through leaves and stems and can cause large portions of a plant to fall to the ground.
CULTURAL CONTROLS: While it probably won't help with this year's pest problem, good cultural practices can go a long way toward decreasing next year's grasshopper population. Females prefer to lay their eggs in dry, undisturbed areas. Tilling the ground in the fall will discourage egg laying as well as uncover already deposited eggs and expose them to the weather and predators. Keep ground litter cleared away and mow any stands of weeds as these areas offer food and cover for the grasshopper population. Get your neighbor to keep his weeds cut down also. Cultivate the ground again in the spring to expose any eggs that you may have missed in the fall. A heavy application of compost or mulch can prevent the emergence of many young in the spring.
COMPANION PLANTING AND REPELLENTS: Grasshoppers reportedly dislike onions, garlic, and hot peppers. So, make up a "tea" of one or more of these, add a bit of pure liquid soap to help it adhere, and spray it on your plants.
MECHANICAL CONTROLS, BARRIERS, AND TRAPS: Check your garden often, walk among your plants, or use your hands to move the foliage. This will cause the 'hoppers to jump or fly where you can see them. Hand picking is easiest in the early AM when the pest is cold and moves slower. Keeping your plants covered with an agricultural fleece product, netting, or cheesecloth will keep the 'hoppers away from your plants. Remove only for pollination or when the heat starts to build up. An effective grasshopper bait can be made from 1 part molasses and 9 parts water. Half fill quart jars with the solution and sink into the ground up to the neck. Check daily and remove the dead insects.
NATURAL CONTROLS: Grasshoppers make a tasty meal for spiders, mantids, ground beetles, blister beetles, Tachinid flies, Robber flies, and some parasitic nematodes. Red mites feed on all stages while snakes, skunks, toads, coyotes, ground squirrels, and field mice eagerly pursue the adults and nymphs. Neosema locustae is a commercially available protozoan parasite, but don't expect very quick results. Birds of all kinds get rid of grasshoppers much faster and many gardeners keep a small flock of chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, or even peacocks and allow them to patrol the garden for pests.
BIOLOGICAL INSECTICIDES: Sabadilla dust is effective for control of common grasshoppers. Its effects are not long-lasting and it would have to be applied frequently for continued control. Apply in the evening as it also affects bees.
CHEMICAL CONTROLS: Call your County Extension Agent for current recommendations. Check at your favorite garden supply store or nursery to see what they have available. Remember to check the label to make sure that the grasshopper is a listed target pest and FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS EXACTLY! When it comes to pesticides, more is NOT better!! Wear protective clothing, watch out for non-target plants, pets, children, and other living things. Wash your skin and clothing after application and take care not to get the substance into your eyes, mouth, or breathing passages.