Grasshoppers

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.

• Prevathon by DuPont.  Safe, no signal word on the label.  Effective, has significant residual effects on grasshoppers and fall armyworms both.  No pesticide applicators license required.  No haying or grazing restrictions and only a 4-hour re-entry interval after application.
• Malathion will provide a quick kill, but offers no residual effects
• Sevin 805 will control grasshoppers and has some residual control for grasshoppers migrating into an area.  
• Mustang Max is another good option for forages 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, fence rows, 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

For more information please call the Wise County Extension office at 627-3341.