The last few years we saw more grasshoppers than ever - it could be a similar event this year as well. Fortunately we have some great options to help you repel, bait, and eradicate these pesky little invaders with voracious appetites. Truly, the key to good grasshopper control is to start early, and get them while they are still juvenile and small: the earlier the better!
One of our favorite new options is a natural, essential oil repellent that confuses and annoys the grasshoppers, as well as many other flying insects like mosquitos and moths, to the point that they will just move somewhere else - like your neighbor’s yard! Cedarwood Oil smells great, is non-toxic to people and pets, won’t effect beneficial insects like bees or lady beetles, and drives unwanted insects away from treated areas. We’ve used it both as a granule and as spray application with amazing results. Of course, it’s not 100% perfect, but it will noticeably decrease your hopper density down to manageable levels.
Instead of pushing the grasshoppers somewhere else, sometimes great results requires attracting them to a potent bait. NiBan insect bait has a powerful attractant that lures the grasshoppers to it, then after ingestion, kills the grasshoppers. It resists rain and weather well enough to withstand 8-10 waterings and still remain effective. When used in conjunction with the repellent, you can achieve excellent results when using it as a perimeter barrier. This bait will not hurt beneficial insects, either; ladybugs, preying mantids, and bees/pollinators will not eat it, and therefore won’t be affected by it at all.
If they swarm, other quick knockdown options include most synthetic pyrethroid insecticides like Hi-Yield Bug Blaster (Bifenthrin), Hi-Yield Indoor/Outdoor (Permethrin), and some of the newest generation insecticides Cyonara (Lambda-Cylohathrin) and Sevin (Zeta-Cypermethrin). These are super effective at knocking down hoppers while they are small, but still safe to use in landscape areas, lawns, and in most fruits and vegetables. For quick results, these sprays will kill grasshoppers in minutes and give you weeks of residual control for additional outbreaks.
Try some of these excellent products to keep your garden plants and landscape safe from the hopper invasion. If the last two years are any indicators, we will see heavy populations of grasshoppers all across the valley this year. Good luck!
