If you have a garden, you’re probably not on friendly terms with the grasshopper. Sure, one or two are fine. But in excessive numbers, grasshoppers can be a nightmare. And that goes double if you live in a rural area. There are hundreds of species of this potential pest, and they are very difficult to control. That’s why today, I’ll be giving you some tips on Tampa grasshopper control. We’ll also cover a few methods of prevention you can employ to keep the infestation from ever starting.
Tampa Grasshopper Control: Overview
Of the roughly six hundred species of this insect in the U.S., about thirty of them can cause serious landscaping damage. Grasshoppers are herbivorous, chewing insects that cause tremendous damage to plants, grains, vegetables, and your lawn. In large numbers, grasshoppers are a serious problem for farmers and home gardeners. Most landscapes have occasional issues with grasshoppers, for which there are both natural, organic solutions, as well as chemical controls.
Mind you, I’m not here to demonize all grasshoppers in your mind. Like any insect, in the proper environment and conditions, they have a very beneficial upside to them. The grasshoppers themselves serve as food for birds, lizards, spiders, and other arthropods and insects, and their excrement provides nutrients to fertilize plants. A handful of grasshoppers in your garden is no cause for alarm and may actually be a sign of helpful diversity. It’s not until the plant damage becomes widespread that serious control efforts should be considered.
Grasshopper Damage
This insect is a herbivore. They feed on grasses and the leaves and stems of plants. Much like other gnawing insects, grasshoppers leave ragged holes in leaves, stems, and the fruit of plants. Grasshoppers prefer small grains, corn, alfalfa, soybeans, cotton, rice, clover, and grasses. But they also feed on lettuce, carrots, beans, sweet corn, and even onions. Grasshoppers are less likely to feed on plants such as squash, peas, and tomato leaves. The more grasshoppers that are present, the more likely they are to feed on plant species outside the preferred group.
Identifying Grasshoppers
To know whether or not you need Tampa grasshopper control, you need to know what these guys look like.
Young grasshoppers are smaller than adults and are wingless. When first hatched, these nymphs are white. As they grow, they will take on the color of adults of their species, and wings begin to appear as small pads. Adult grasshoppers are reddish-brown to olive green, depending on the species. They have narrow bodies and can be as long as 3 inches, though most are 1 3/4 or less. Most grasshoppers have distinctively long, angled back legs that allow them to be strong jumpers. They have protruding heads dominated by large eyes and chewing mouthparts. Adult grasshoppers have wings and can fly.
They appear first in early spring. But, their greatest numbers tend to occur around mid-summer. Grasshoppers’ populations are likely to be highest when the weather is hot and dry. Grasshoppers are hemimetabolies insects, which means they do not undergo metamorphosis, as do butterflies and many other insects. Instead, they hatch from eggs into nymphs (“hoppers”) that undergo five molts, gradually taking on the adult appearance and size. When population densities become very high, environmental conditions may cause some species to change color and form swarms. At this point, they are often known as locusts.
Tampa Grasshopper Control: Preventative Measures
When it comes to actual insect infestations, there are few things the average Joe is really equipped to do. But, prevention is always better than the alternative. So let’s go over a few methods of grasshopper control. To start, always keep your garden and lawn well weeded. Eliminate weeds even in areas that don’t have garden plants to reduce the availability of food for newly hatched nymphs. Good weeding practice goes a long way toward reducing overall grasshopper populations.
You can also try to dust damaged plants with flour from your pantry. Dusting plant leaves with flour will gum up the mouths of grasshoppers as they feed. This remedy will need to be reapplied whenever rain washes away the flour.
What if I already have an infestation?
Well, the simple reality of that is like I mentioned above. Joe Average the layman is going to struggle with a real, large infestation. In fact, if left alone too long, grasshopper infestations can turn to “locust” behavior and suddenly you have a swarm of hungry insects decimating your lawn and garden. Instead, contact a professional before it gets too bad- especially ones that use natural methods of pest control.
Grasshoppers are one of many fast-reproducing insects, and improper use of pesticides can create a super pest immune to those methods within a few short generations. Pest professionals that use natural methods are always going to do a better job overall, as chemicals are not only inefficient if used properly, but have been proven time and again to be a danger to your health. So the long and short of it? Rely on the pros if you truly need help with Tampa grasshopper control.
