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The Locusts are coming! How do you stop a plague? (NOT RE related- gardening)

By Leslie Prest

Real Estate Broker/Owner with Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Sales and Rentals in Payson, AZ

August 22, 2008 06:42 AM

I'm posting this in hopes someone has a sure-fire way to get rid of grasshoppers. In the last few days I've been all over the internet looking, and I've found some interesting articles, but not much help.
You see, right now if I walk through my yard these little sobs grasshoppers pop up ahead of me like popcorn. So far they are mostly small, and mostly in the grass (or what passes for grass in Payson), but I know as they get bigger they will move on my flowers. Last year they managed to strip ALL my plants TO THE STEMS. This included perennial flowers, annual flowers, several large herb patches, tall sunflowers, and a butterfly bush taller than my roof line. It took them about a week.
Do you see why I call them a plague?
Now I'm usually pretty live-and-let-live where God's creatures are concerned, but those bare stems last year were awful!
BTW- as far as I can determine, the only difference between locust and grasshopper is that the locusts are travelling. I found several sites that go into GREAT detail to help me identify what kind of grasshopper I have. I DON'T CARE! I just want them DEAD!

Ways suggested on internet sites to get rid of the little suckers included:

* The 2 brick method- take 1 brick, put grasshopper on it, hit it with brick #2.
      Fine, but I have HUNDREDS of the things.
* Do a "squish the grasshoppers dance" and stomp them.
      See above.
* Put the most awful tasting things you can think of on your plants.
     However many people commented that the grasshoppers don't care- it just flavors
      their meal.
* Whir up dead hoppers in your blender and spray your plants.
     But several people commented that they eat their dead. Yum, yum.
* Pay your kids (or neighborhood kids) per grasshopper they pick.
      My kids are too old, and I have hundreds of hoppers, anyway.
* Various pesticides.
      But I have cats who claim my gardens as their "jungle" and I won't hurt them.
      and most sites say the chemicals don't work very well, anyway.
* Raise chickens, guinea hens, or turkeys. Or at least let them graze your gardens.
     I would if I could, but the city would get on me, besides, my cats would see
     them as a challenge. They ARE birders.
* Harvesting them and EATING them- I found RECIPES! One site said "think of them as
  LAND SHRIMP!
     I DON'T think so.

One of the most...interesting? horrific? I can't find the right word. Anyway, one lady says she gets up early while it is still quite cool, says the hoppers are patient at that time of day... They will sit still while she comes up behind them with scissors and SNIPS THEIR LITTLE HEADS OFF!

Another woman says she picks them up, tells them to go elsewhere, AND THEY DO. A grasshopper whisperer.

I'm going out to our best plant nursery, Plant Fair in Star Valley, today and see what they say. But PLEASE, if anyone knows anything practical THAT WORKS post it here. Any help is appreciated, so is just plain moral support. Curse those little sons a guns for me!

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Stephanie Heron

Dressing Rooms LLC - Scottsdale, AZ

Weeber - Dressing Rooms

Hi Leslie - I chuckled at the idea using two bricks:) From the grasshoppers I have come across it would be pretty difficult to catch one - they are sooo fast:) Sorry - I don't have any great ideas for you - I hope you get rid of them soon.

Stephanie

Aug 22, 2008 07:17 AM

Leslie Prest

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Sales and Rentals in Payson, AZ - Payson, AZ

Owner, Assoc. Broker, Prest Realty, Payson,

Thanks Stephanie. ANy well wishes are appreciated.

Aug 22, 2008 10:30 AM

Deb Brooks

Brooks Prime Properties Wichita Falls Texas - Wichita Falls, TX

Leslie, try Sevin Dust. It really seems to work for me. I have pets and the Sevin is so pet friendly you can sprinkle it directly on the pet to get rid of fleas. I love the stuff. I use it on ant beds so I don't have to worry about the dog or the cats traveling over it!

Check into it. It has always worked for me...Later in the rain~Deb

Aug 22, 2008 01:26 PM

Deb- I'll look into it- I had ruled it out because it says it is toxic to bees and other beneficial insects, but maybe I could use it on the hoppers in the grass- not in my gardens. hat form do you use it in- granules? dust?

Aug 23, 2008 05:28 AM

Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional

Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL

Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

We have them here in Florida too, but it sounds like your problem FAR exceeds anything I have ever had to deal with.

Aug 25, 2008 07:06 AM

Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089

Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI

Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info

Can't you cover up your favorite plants with nets or light sheets for the week. Do they feed at night too?

Sep 27, 2008 12:33 PM

Georgina- From what I read, they can eat right through most nets or sheets. It gets cold enough here that they are still at night.

They are eating SOME, but I took the advice above and used some SEVIN pesticide (carefully, didn't use it on the actul flowers where bees and butterflies are feeding- I used it in the grass) and that knocked the population down.

Sep 28, 2008 05:45 AM

Michael and Cheron Lange

Solutions Real Estate - Chandler, AZ

Associate Broker, GRI

Leslie... I have to say, I had to laugh, we are endowed with locusts / grasshoppers, it has been irritating my golden retriever so much. LOL Beides that, my hibiscus are having a hard time with the locusts / grasshoppers they are chowing down on my plants. Thanks for the post, I truly loved it!

Cheron Lange

Sep 28, 2008 04:39 PM

Anonymous

Phil Evans

I hope your solution is working fo you. I live in SouthWesstern Oklahoma and the little critters eat everything in sight. We have 5 acres that is mostly covered with native prairie grasses. From Spring through Fall we have to constantly cut the stuff down as it will get out of hand quickly. After every good rain the grasses grow quickly, with things like Johnson Grass growing about 2 to 3 feet in a week or two.

The locusts seem to love this stuff and breed in it quite rapidly. On 5 acres we will have many thousands (or tens of thousaneds) of the insects. I have a line of native "Cross Timber" trees along one side of the property and a few that are scattered. Last year, the locusts virtually stripped the trees bare. You could not find one leaf on a tree that had not been eaten.

In some areas nearby the people recommend Guinea Fowl or turkeys. But we also have a very real problem with coyotes and bobcats around here. I thinks the birds would not last very long.

I think this year we are going to try the biological route. I've been looking at a product called "Semaspore Grasshopper Control". It is not a pesticide, but a fungus that is supposed to be deadly to grasshoppers, locusts, and ticks. It is not supposed to be very fast working, but over a period of time may eliminate the problem. As the infected one die, others eat the dead one and also become infected. So the cycle repeates itslf and eventually is supposed to control the situation. It's supposed to be safe for people and pets. I guess we'll try it because I don''t know what else to do in our situation.

You can read about Semaspore at the following location:

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/semaspore-grasshopper-bait.html

I'll let you know if this stuff actually works. Wish you the bes with your garden and God bless you.

Rev. Philip E. Evans

Mar 20, 2011 01:57 PM

Hi. Thanks for commenting. Yes, I've read about the Semaspore, but haven't tried it. From what I read it just cuts down the population some. The hoppers werenm't as bad last year. If they get out of hand this year I'm thinking of sprinkling the yard with diatemaceous earth while they are still little hoppers. Its non-poisonous.

Mar 21, 2011 06:33 AM

The Locusts are coming! How do you stop a plague? (NOT RE related- gardening)

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Leslie Prest

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