Green Acres

Question and Answers on Grasshopper Management in Cropland

1. Why should I be concerned about grasshoppers in 2022? Drought conditions in 2021 and an open fall promoted a high egg lay which will result in large hatches this spring. If a drought continues in Chouteau County, populations will continue to increase. Grasshoppers are a boom and bust species and thrive with arid conditions.

2. Will a wet spring break the cycle? The answer is yes. Prime conditions for decreasing populations begin with warm, early springs followed by a hot period followed by a minimum of one week of cloudy wet weather...