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bugs

grasshoppers

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posted 19 years ago

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The garden and flowers are infested with grasshoppers, how do I get rid of them or significantly reduce their numbers?thank you

paul wheaton

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Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

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posted 19 years ago

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Chickens is the best way. Ducks might work some too.

I've heard of some people putting out lots of bird feeders. Most birds are amnivores. You give them plenty of seed and that builds up a powerful hankerin for bugs! And look! You have those too!

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paul wheaton

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Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

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posted 15 years ago

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Garter snakes are good too.

Some dishes of soapy water will also make a big dent.

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Leah Sattler

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posted 15 years ago

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are you urban? I vote for some chickens, guineas or turkeys also. you don't have to keep them forever.

read a cool book recently that was a collection of writings from pioneer women in kansas. the grasshopper plague one wrote about was incredible. thye were eating the clothes off the line and such...... wow

[img]http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/havlik1/permie%20pics2/permiepotrait3pdd.jpg[/img]

"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

Leah Sattler

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posted 15 years ago

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well you could always harvest and eat them

I was reading about native americans at my daughters request and the book mentioned that grasshopper "plagues" were considered a huge treat! I remember watching a nat. geog. show once where the children of a village went out to gather insects..mostly hoppers......to bring back and cook up as a treat. also years ago remember reading something about how insects would be the food of the future and had many characteristics making them an excellent food........except for the obvious problem of overcoming our prejudice to eating them. I don't think i could unless I was starving. maybe if I made a grasshopper pemmican type thing.

[img]http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/havlik1/permie%20pics2/permiepotrait3pdd.jpg[/img]

"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

paul wheaton

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Posts: 53249

Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

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posted 15 years ago

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I remember trying some experiments to capture grasshoppers so that I could feed them to my chickens. None of my experiments worked.

I wonder if just some dishes of water around would collect a few.

But ... chickens are the best at getting rid of grasshoppers.

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

Leah Sattler

Posts: 2603

posted 15 years ago

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here is a great organic solution to grasshoppers. although I' d uggest being prudent about spreading even organic products too broadly it could be a tool to have in your arsenal.

http://www.heirloomgardenexperts.com/articles/nolo_bait_information

[img]http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/havlik1/permie%20pics2/permiepotrait3pdd.jpg[/img]

"One cannot help an involuntary process. The point is not to disturb it. - Dr. Michel Odent

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