Watch Out For Hoppers!

Dr. Mario Villarino

County Extension Agent-Hopkins County

 

Grasshoppers can have a debastating effect in crop and grassland. Grasshopper eggs are laid 1/2 to 2 inches beneath the soil surface in pod-like structures. Each egg pod consists of elongated eggs securely cemented together; the whole mass is somewhat egg-shaped and covered with soil. The egg pods are very resistant to moisture and cold and are affected very little by winter conditions if the soil is not disturbed. Eggs are deposited in a variety of non-crop areas including ditches, fencerows, shelter-belts and weedy areas. They are also laid in cropped areas including late season crops, weedy fields, hay fields and alfalfa. Grasshopper egg hatch normally begins in late April to early May. Peak hatch occurs about mid-June and is usually near completion by late June. Cool and extremely dry springs may delay hatch, allowing it to continue into July.

Young grasshoppers are referred to as nymphs. They are similar to adults in general appearance, but are smaller and have wing pads instead of wings. There are usually five or six nymphal stages and the length of time from egg to adult is 40 to 60 days.

Adults of crop-damaging grasshopper species become numerous in mid-July with egg laying usually beginning in late July and continuing into the fall. In general, only one generation of grasshoppers is produced per year.

 

 

 

 

Farmers and ranchers should watch for grasshoppers early in the season and begin control measures while grasshoppers are in the young stages and still within hatching sites (roadsides, fencerows, etc.). There are a number of advantages in treating grasshoppers early:  fewer acres will have to be treated and less insecticide is necessary to obtain control; grasshoppers are killed before they have had the opportunity to cause significant crop loss; smaller grasshoppers are more susceptible to insecticides than larger hoppers; early treatment before grasshoppers reach maturity prevents migration of the winged (flying) adult stage and egg laying, which may help reduce the grasshopper threat for the following crop year.

Grasshopper infestation levels can be estimated by watching adults. One method is the square-yard  method. In the area to be sampled, count the number of grasshoppers that hop or move within a square-yard.  Control will generally be necessary when more than ten adult grasshoppers are found per square yard.

 

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