Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers (Acrididae)

Grasshoppers are powerful fliers and jumpers that feed voraciously on grasses, crops, and garden plants, and during drought years can swarm in numbers sufficient to devastate agricultural fields and landscapes. Most species are solitary and cause only limited local damage, but migratory species can move in massive swarms across large areas. Their damage is most severe in dry years when natural vegetation is limited and stressed. Targeted insecticide applications, barrier treatments, and biological controls using Nosema locustae provide effective management during outbreak conditions.