Grasshopper Control: Expert Advice

Image Gallery Get grasshoppers under control with these safe, natural methods. PETER SCHERER/FOTOLIA

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Wherever you find grass, you will also find grasshoppers, and a few of the hundreds of grasshopper species found in North America can be major garden pests. Cool, rainy summers cause many grasshoppers to fall prey to disease, while hot, dry weather can lead to major grasshopper headaches.

Hand-picking them is impractical, because with the help of their big compound eyes, grasshoppers see you before you see them. So what’s a grasshopper-plagued gardener to do? Here are six proven eco-safe strategies for dealing with hordes of ’hoppers.

Maintain Beneficial Havens

Baby grasshoppers hatch in spring and early summer from eggs hidden just beneath the surface in soil. Young grasshoppers hide out in sheltered spots that are dense with vegetation, where most of them are eaten by spiders, ground beetles, frogs and other predators. Thus, islands of dense mixed herbs, grasses and flowers located in or near your garden can serve as early-season traps for young grasshoppers.

Provide Bird Perches

Insect-eating birds are major grasshopper predators, especially in early summer when they must gather high-protein food for their young. Many bug-eating birds like to hunt by watching for movement from a perch, so studding your garden with trellises, posts and other upright structures can help birds feed more efficiently.

Use Row Covers

The surest way to protect plants from hungry grasshoppers is to cover them with a barrier, such as a floating row cover or lightweight cloth. Be sure to hold the covers above plants with hoops or stakes, because grasshoppers are more likely to eat their way inside if leaves are pushing against the fabric. In west Texas and other areas where grasshoppers are especially bad, some gardeners make cones from aluminum screening to keep their plants safe from ’hoppers.

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