Grasshoppers are a common garden pest that can quickly devastate vegetable gardens, flower beds, and landscapes. These voracious insects have chewing mouthparts that allow them to consume large quantities of foliage in a short period of time. Severe grasshopper damage will leave plants ragged with large sections of leaves and stems missing. If you've noticed increasing signs of grasshopper damage in your yard and garden, it's important to take action to control them before populations explode. This article will cover strategies for getting rid of grasshoppers using natural, chemical, and preventative methods.

Identifying Grasshoppers

There are over 11,000 species of grasshoppers, with around 20 species considered serious pests. Grasshoppers have long cylindrical bodies, powerful hind legs for jumping, and two pairs of wings. Most are green or brown, allowing them to blend in with foliage, but some species have bold stripes or patterns. Adults range from 1 to 3 inches long depending on the species. Nymphs look similar to adults but are smaller and wingless.

Grasshoppers go through incomplete metamorphosis, meaning young nymphs resemble adults. Eggs are laid in the soil in summer and fall. They hatch into nymphs in spring. Nymphs molt through 5 developmental stages over 4-6 weeks before reaching adulthood. Adults live 2-3 months. Female grasshoppers lay up to 200 eggs in an egg pod, allowing populations to increase rapidly under optimal conditions.

Grasshoppers prefer hot, dry weather and outbreaks often follow consecutive mild winters and warm springs. Fields, meadows, roadsides, and weedy areas provide ideal habitat. Grasshoppers feed on a wide variety of plants but favor cereal crops, legumes, vegetable crops, and grasses. Watch for ragged feeding damage on leaf margins and holes in leaves, flowers, pods, and stems to confirm grasshoppers. They will eat any part of the plant except woody stems.

Preventing Grasshoppers Naturally

Implementing preventative measures is key to avoiding grasshopper infestations. Since nymphs do the most damage, focus on deterring adults from laying eggs in your yard and reducing food sources:

• Maintain proper sanitation by eliminating weeds, tall grass, and dense vegetation around gardens. This denies shelter for adults and reduces food for nymphs.

• Till up areas around gardens in fall or early spring to disrupt eggs. Till to a depth of 4 inches.

• Encourage natural predators like birds, frogs, spiders, praying mantises. Place shallow dishes of water out for birds and frogs. Avoid pesticide use that would reduce predators.

• Use row covers as a physical barrier over plants. Cover seedlings and do not remove until plants are established. Make sure covers do not touch plants.

• Interplant with repellent plants like marigolds, garlic, and onions which may mask attractive plant odors. Concentrate these along the garden perimeter.

• Remove crop residue after harvest to eliminate potential egg-laying sites and food sources.

• Apply parasitic nematodes to soil in early spring to attack nymphs. Nematodes require moist soil and temps above 60°F.

A combination of sanitation, barriers, natural predators, and repellent plants provides the best grasshopper prevention. Be vigilant for increasing grasshopper activity and damage in late spring and take action before populations explode.

Using Pesticides Against Grasshoppers

When prevention fails to stop increasing grasshopper destruction, pesticide intervention may be necessary. Several insecticides and formulations including baits, sprays, dusts, and strips are labeled for grasshopper control:

• Carbaryl is the most common active ingredient. It is found in Sevin liquid concentrates, dusts, and baits. Broad spectrum toxicity.

• Permethrin is a pyrethroid active ingredient. Trade names include Eight Insect Control and Spectracide Triazicide. Toxic to bees.

• Diflubenzuron is an insect growth regulator found in Dimilin. It impacts development but has very low toxicity to mammals.

• Malathion is an organophosphate available under many brand names. Highly toxic to bees. Avoid spraying when bees are active.

The most effective application method depends on the life stage:

• Target adults with sprays, concentrating on infested plants or areas where they congregate like field margins. Treat in evening when they are least active. Avoid spraying foliage of blooming plants.

• Apply dusts and baits where nymphs are found. The active ingredient must be ingested, so thorough coverage is essential. Use when grass is shortest for best access to treatments. Reapply after rain or irrigation.

• Focus on nymphs and eggs with IGRs like diflubenzuron. Apply early in season to suppress populations before widespread damage occurs. IGRs require ingestion and take time to impact development.

Always follow label directions carefully for pesticides. Timing, technique, protective equipment, and dosage are critical. Only apply insecticides labeled for grasshoppers and approved for the crop or site. Resistance is an increasing issue so rotate active ingredients. Take precautions to minimize exposure to bees, beneficials, wildlife, and humans when using any pesticide.

Home Remedies

For those wishing to avoid synthetic chemicals, there are several natural home remedies that may help deter grasshoppers:

• Garlic spray - Blend several cloves of garlic with water and a small amount of mild soap. Strain and spray plants, reapplying after rain. Garlic may repel grasshoppers.

• Hot pepper spray - Blend hot peppers with water and spray plants. Reapply every 5-7 days. Capsaicin may deter feeding. Avoid spraying on hot days or directly before rain.

• Vinegar spray - Use a 20% vinegar and 80% water solution. Spray plants focusing on the undersides of leaves where grasshoppers congregate. Will need frequent reapplication.

• Neem oil - Derived from the neem tree. Apply neem oil spray on plants. May deter feeding and egg laying. Neem oil can harm bees so avoid spraying blooms.

• Diatomaceous earth (DE) - Natural silica dust that abrades insects. Gently coat leaf surfaces avoiding blooms. DE must stay dry to be effective. Reapply after rain or heavy dews. Wear a dust mask when applying.

When using home remedies, persistence is key. Natural deterrents often require frequent reapplication. Homemade sprays tend to be less effective than commercial pesticide options but are a reasonable organic approach. Combine with prevention methods for better control.

Calling in the Professionals

In severe grasshopper infestations, or if you are battling grasshoppers in a large agricultural setting, professional pest control may be warranted. Pest control companies have access to stronger pyrethroid and organophosphate products not available to home gardeners. They also have specialized spray equipment that allows precise application over a wide area. Professionals can survey the extent of the infestation and develop a treatment plan.

Commercial pesticide applicators are ideal for treating large crop fields and rangeland. They also have the training to minimize environmental impact and protect human health when using pesticides. In home gardens, if preventative measures, natural deterrents, and available insecticides have all failed to control grasshoppers, calling a pest control company is the next step before populations completely devastate your plants.

With a little diligence, most gardeners can protect their plants from grasshopper damage using preventative measures, natural deterrents, and judicious use of pesticides. Pay close attention in early spring for the first signs of grasshopper activity. Take action immediately at the first signs of damage before populations surge out of control. Implementing multiple methods provides the best control of these voracious pests.