Apparently we’ve had another
favorable year for grasshoppers to hatch and develop. Egg hatching began in February and will
probably continue through June in the North Texas counties. However, populations do appear to be spotty
across Wise County. If left untreated
grasshoppers can cause severe damage to pastures in a short amount of
time. Entomologists with Texas A & M
usually advise to treat when you can count 15-20 grasshoppers per square yard.
Watch
for grasshoppers in your pastures and home landscapes where they will feed on
shrubs, flowers, and grasses. If you’ve
treated for grasshoppers in the past, you realize the importance of treating
while they are small to prevent treating the adults later in the season. Once they become adults, they are able to
migrate, making control much more difficult.
There
are a number of products labeled for grasshopper control in pastures. Some products such as Malathion will provide a quick kill, but offers no residual while Sevin 805 will control grasshoppers and
has some residual control for grasshoppers migrating into an area. Mustang
Max is another good option for forage and hay production. Be sure to read
the label for grazing and haying restrictions. Good coverage is a must to
achieve effective results; apply 12-15 gallons of water per acre to guarantee
good coverage. For
home owners a carbaryl bait may be an option.
The
following recipe has provided good results in orchards, fencerous, and around
home landscapes.
1. 19 pounds of wheat bran
2. One quart of Sevin XLR
3. One gallon of molasses
4. Sufficient water to make a moist mash
5. Mix with rubber gloves
6. Spread mixture in 2 to 3 table spoon
clumps
7. Apply bait to open areas (grasshoppers
won’t be able to find the bait in tall grass or weeds)
8. Start applying bait when nymphs (young
wingless grasshoppers) are observed
To
request a list of approved products for grasshopper control, call the Extension
office at 627-3341.
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