How To Get Rid Of Grasshoppers From Your Garden

If you have areas of long grass in your garden, then chances of grasshoppers visiting are high. These insects can be so destructive if left uncontrolled. Although grasshoppers mainly effect GardenAdvice clients in the US and countries will similar climates we have noticed a dramatic increase in grasshoppers and grasshopper damage starting to appear in the UK

Generally, grasshoppers are herbivorous. They will feed on any green vegetables or grains they come across. However, if you notice just a handful of these insects in your garden, there is a need to panic. 

It is the swarms you should be worried about. If these chewing insects land on your garden in large numbers, you may end up losing your whole harvest. Most farm owners or landscapers who experience this issue will try all means including chemicals controls, natural solutions, or organic solutions to eliminate the insects. 

That said, here are a few useful tips on how to get rid of grasshopper invasion. You can also do your research and find out about organic grasshopper control to keep your garden healthy and free from pests.

• Soil care

Females lay eggs on the ground where they stay until they hatch. The average number of eggs laid is between 10 to 60 eggs in about 25 clutches. 

The eggs are mainly laid during summer and hatched during spring. Plus, they have a one-year lifespan; Egg-nymphs-adult. Plowing the ground can help expose the eggs and prevent them from hatching. 

Tilling can also prevent the growth of weeds during spring since these pests enjoy hiding in the weeds. 

• Encourage Natural Predators

Insect-eating birds like swallows and chickens can be a good solution when you want to use natural control methods. 

If you put three to four chickens to roam freely in your garden, they will definitely feast on a large number of these insects. Another good thing about rearing chickens is that you can benefit from fresh eggs as well. 

Ducks and geese can also serve the same purpose. Other natural predators that feed on grasshoppers include toads, praying mantis, and small snakes.

• Eliminate weeds

As mentioned, these insects enjoy hiding in the weeds. The garden weed also serves as food for the newly hatched nymphs. 

Eliminating weeds reduces their food supply and destroys their nesting area. This goes a long way to reducing the overall population of the hoppers. 

Likewise, if you clear your garden and maintain short vegetation, the insects might not invade your garden. Reason being, short vegetation exposes them to birds and other natural predators.

• Use Chemical Pesticides

In the case of extreme infestations of Grasshoppers there are specific spray pesticides and bait chemicals available for killing hoppers. Using them is easy, you only need to read and follow the given guidelines. Nevertheless, there is a need to watch for cycles before employing these chemicals. 

You should focus on using these chemical treatments during the egg-laying season or at the nymph stage for them to be effective. Concentrate more on the breeding sites before they reach adulthood and migrate.

Keep in mind that, excessive use of these chemical treatments can be toxic to the soil and other beneficial insects too. It is safer to use baits in place of spray insecticides to reduce more damage. You can add canola oil to the spray chemical to enhance control.

• Apply Garlic Spray

Most garden pests including grasshoppers detest the smell of garlic. This is also the main reason why farmers use garlic spray to get rid of these pests in their gardens. Garlic spray is also organic and safe to use. 

If you choose to prepare it from home, you will need to blend two cups of garlic and 10 cups of water then boil the mixture. Once the solution is ready, have a spray bottle with you and fill it with a portion of the garlic mixture and then add 3 parts of water. 

Shake the mixture for a few minutes then apply the solution onto the parts of the affected plants. You may also choose to purchase a ready-made garlic solution online depending on what works best for you.

• Cover Vulnerable Plants

Covering your crops with crop covers or cheesecloth can help keep hoppers away. Garden pests will only feed on the plant if the parts are exposed. While this method can help protect vulnerable plants from hoppers it should be done together with other methods aimed at controlling the garden pet’s invasion.

• Apply Biological Controls

Beauveria bassiana and the Nosema locustae fungi are among the most effective biological hoppers control methods. 

These fungi distort the digestive functions of a grasshopper which leads to their deaths. Another effective natural biological control agent is the azadirachtin found in neem oil. You may also consider using organic pyrethrin to aid with the control. 

However, be on the lookout for products labeled pyrethroids if your main goal is to use organic controls. The synthetic chemical compounds in the pyrethroids dilute the natural compounds of pyrethrin making it non-organic.

• Set up a Long Grass Trap

Most garden pests prefer areas with long and thick vegetation where they can hide from predators. You can create a grass trap by growing long patches of grass on one section of the garden. Grasshoppers [kw1] and other garden pests will eventually amass in that area, making it easier for you to catch them.

• Dust the Leaves with Flour

You can also use all-purpose home flour to eliminate pests. When you smear the cooking flour on the leaves of the affected plant, the hoppers eventually die of starvation when they feed on it. This is because the flour creates some kind of gum when mixed with saliva which makes it hard for the insects to feed on the plants. Click here to read more.