I hear crickets

Grasshoppers usually begin to hatch in mid spring. The warmer and drier the spring the earlier hatching will occur and the better the nymphs will thrive . Often times a late spring freeze will disrupt the cycle, killing the young hoppers. An early spring followed by cloudy, damp weather encourages diseases that sicken and kill them. Long, hot summers provide a bountiful food supply for them. This encourages early maturing of grasshoppers and an extended long egg-laying period. Cool summer and early fall conditions slow down grasshopper maturity resulting a reduced time period for laying eggs.

There are three stages of development for grasshoppers: egg, nymph (young adult) and adult hopper. The nymph stage goes through five instars (instar means development stages.) As each instar is completed they molt and become larger. It is in the first to the third week of reaching the adult stage that female hoppers will begin to lay eggs. They lay them in the soil covering them with a foamy like liquid which forms a hard, protective shell enabling them to withstand severe cold.

It is the during the nymph stage of hoppers that you want to take control action. Even in periods of low populations grasshoppers can cause considerable damage in home gardens. The main damage that hoppers inflict on plants are the consumption of foliage. During periods of overpopulation they can and will go after shrubs and tree, just about anything. Following are some methods to help you control grasshopper outbreaks.

Blister beetle and ground beetle larvae attack the egg pods of grasshoppers. They are both capable of consuming between 50 to 60% of grasshopper egg pods.

• Snakes, toads, cats and skunks feast on hoppers.
• Bird predators include bluebirds, brown thrashers, crows, hawks, mockingbirds, meadowlarks and sparrows.
• Horse-hair worm, a large nematode up to several inches in length parasitizes and kills hoppers.
• Robber flies and spiders will feed on grasshoppers.
• Field mice and many types of rodents will dig up and eat the egg pods. They also feed on the adults.
• Chickens, ducks and Guinea hens are prolific consumers of hoppers. Muscovy ducks are tops!
• Preying mantis love to eat grasshoppers!
• Fish: One of our visitors reminded us how fish love to dine on hoppers! He goes on to add that live hoppers make excellent fish bait and that the bigger the hopper the bigger the fish you can catch. Bass are extremely fond of them.

Barriers

• Plant the herb horehound (Marrubium vulgare) which is known to repel grasshoppers.
• Grasshoppers do not like cilantro which is used by many organic gardeners as a barrier crop.
• Plant calendula as a barrier deterrent.
• Spray a heavy infusion of garlic oil as a repellent.
• Grasshoppers are attracted to monocultures and do not like nitrogen-fixing crops like peas and sweet clover.
• Row covers, like Reemay, or screens can be effectively used to keep them from your crops.

Traps and Sprays

• Nosema locustae is a one celled parasite that infects and kills the hoppers when they ingest it. A single treatment can last for several years. Hoppers being of a cannibalistic nature will eat the dead parasite infected bodies. This sets in force a chain reaction passing the parasite from generation to generation. Certain species of hoppers may expire within several hours after treatment whereas others may take 4-6 weeks to be affected. Nosema locustae can be purchased at local nurseries and through many mail order sources.

• Sink glass jars into the soil. Fill to the halfway point wit a mixture of 10 parts water to 1 part of molasses. The hoppers are drawn to the sweet smell of the molasses, they dive in and drown. Clean traps as needed.
• Try a caffeine spray. Brew coffee 5 to 10 times stronger. Cool and spray as is.
• Try a pepper spray using jalapenos, habaneros or any HOT pepper to repel the adults. Include some castile soap in with this.
• Spray insecticidal soap mixed with beneficial nematodes directly on grasshoppers in the evening.
• Diatomaceous earth applied as a dust can be an effective control. DE has razor sharp edges that penetrate the hoppers exoskeleton, dehydrating them and killing them. The same effect is had internally as they will also eat DE. Be sure to wear a mask when working with DE, you do not want to inhale it!
• Gardeners can use organic botanical products like pyrethrin to knock down nymphs in the first or second instar.

A word on Diatomaceous earth: 30 million years ago, silica shells of one-celled algae (diatoms) built up on the ocean bottoms forming deep deposits called diatomite. These fossilized shells are mined and milled they produce the razor sharp shards of silica, a desiccant.
DE looks and feels like talcum powder; but to an insect it is a lethal dust that scratches and absorbs the wax coating on the insects' surface, leaving it to die from dehydration. DE will eventually kill any insect that is exposed to it and will kill earthworms. DE does not break down in the environment, so it remains effective until it is washed away or turned into the soil. It is non-toxic to mammals, but will irritate the mucous membranes!
DE has a high mineral content and will add these minerals to the soil, improving it.

• Neem Oil: A controversial topic among organic gardeners: neem oil is not to be dismissed lightly. Made from the seed of the Neem (azadirachta indica) tree, a shade tree native to India. The active compound azadractin is extracted using water, alcohol or petroleum ether. Neem has been used for centuries in India to protect stored grains.