Pest e-alerts, 05/29/2014, v.13 no.18

              Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University
127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK74078
405.744.5527
Vol. 13, No. 18
http://entoplp.okstate.edu/Pddl/
May 29, 2014
Got Grasshoppers? Get After Them NOW:
Management Options in Rangeland and Pastures
Tom A. Royer, Extension Entomologist
Justin Talley, Extension Livestock Entomologist
Grasshoppers are in an upward cycle for causing problems in Oklahoma. We have endured 3 years of severe drought which has let them increase in numbers. Grasshoppers have been hatching for several weeks now, and are about ¼ inches in size. Even though they are small and don’t seem to be causing much damage, now is the best time to control them because when they get big, they are difficult to control and will cause severe damage.
Scouting for grasshoppers takes some practice, but here is the way to get an estimate of populations. Go out and start by getting a “practiced eye” for looking at a 1/square yard area. Look at least 10 feet in front of you and begin walking to that square yard spot. Count the number of grasshoppers that jump out of the spot (don’t count ones that jump in). Take several counts in your pasture to get an average number of grasshoppers per square yard. Make sure the samples are representative of the pasture (space counts at least 75 feet apart). If one square yard is hard to visualize and keep count, switch to a 1 square foot area, and add up all of the grasshoppers that jump out of 9 square foot samples. 9 square foot samples = 1 square yard.