By Robert Wright
Extension Entomologist
Control is Easier in Borders and More Successful in the Immature Stages
Figure 1. Immature grasshoppers are being reported feeding in crop fields in eastern Nebraska. Treatment at early growth stages is most effective.
Populations of immature grasshoppers are being reported in areas bordering crop fields in several parts of eastern Nebraska. If these grasshopper species are one of the four major species that are likely to infest cropland, control may be warranted. These insects will likely continue to be a problem for the rest of the summer.
Only four of the more than 100 species of grasshoppers found in Nebraska normally damage field crops. These species are the
- twostriped,
- redlegged,
- differential, and
- migratory grasshoppers.
(For a detailed guide on identifying these four species see Grasshopper Identification Guide for Cropland Grasshoppers Summer Feeding Species, EC1569.) These species feed on a wide range of plants and are most often found in mixed habitats that include broadleaf weeds.
Because grasshoppers move into cropland generally from untilled areas surrounding crop fields, scout and, if necessary, treat these adjacent untilled areas first. Sometimes grasshoppers may hatch out from eggs laid in no-till crop fields as well. If grasshoppers have already invaded the field, also sample field areas to determine if control is warranted. The grasshoppers are most likely to move from these areas to adjoining crops when their food supply in these borders dries up.
Source:unl.edu