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Grasshoppers in Texas

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Cambodia: take several dozen locust adults, preferably females, slit the abdomen ... Then lightly grill the locusts in a wok or hot frying pan, adding a little oil ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Grasshoppers in Texas


1
Grasshoppers in Texas
  • Jeffery K. Tomberlin, Ph.D.
  • Department of Entomology
  • Texas AM University

2
Grasshoppers
What are they?
Why a problem?
Control?
3
Where are Grasshoppers a Problem??
Egypt
Australia
4
How about Texas???
5
Grasshopper Outbreaks
  • Involve more than one species
  • Destroy vegetation indiscriminately
  • Individual species have preferences
  • Invasion rather than infestation
  • Movement, sometimes great distances
  • Outbreaks measured in years

6
Two Types of Outbreaks
  • Eruptive
  • Food supply generally not limiting
  • Outbreak follows drought or heavy grazing
  • Gradient
  • Food supply usually limiting
  • Above normal vegetation support above normal
    forage

7
Grasshoppers
  • 150 species in Texas
  • Grasshoppers
  • Eggs laid in grassy ditches, roadsides, and
    rangeland
  • Move from above areas when populations are high
  • 30/yard will eat 1 ton of vegetation in 10 days
  • Eat ½ their weight each day

8
Five Most Wanted
Differential
Migratory
Two-striped
Red-legged
Packard
9
High Reproductive Capacity
  • One generation per year
  • Except migratory and red-legged
  • 200 eggs per female
  • 40 in a bad year
  • 400 in a good year
  • Hatch starts in mid-April
  • Not all eggs laid at the same time
  • Different species hatch at different times

10
Habitat Preferences
  • Rangeland and pastures
  • Vegetation with an open canopy
  • Numerous patches of bare ground
  • Reduced plant density

11
Habitat preferences (slide 2)
  • Sunlight and low humidity discourage grasshopper
    diseases
  • Higher temperatures accelerate
  • Egg development
  • Nymphal growth
  • Adult female egg production

12
Habitat preferences (slide 3)
  • Canopy removal
  • Increases basking sites for early morning
    thermoregulation
  • Dry stems increase perching sites
  • Avoid high mid-day heat

13
Population Limitations
  • Bare spots in pastures
  • Thermal regulation
  • Early summer rains
  • Fungus
  • Natural enemies
  • Birds
  • Insect predators
  • Parasites

14
Control Methods
  • Cultural
  • Biological
  • Chemical

15
Cultural Control-Rangeland/Pasture
  • Increase in live plant basal cover
  • Decrease open areas
  • Reduced grazing if possible
  • Allow plants to recover

16
Cultural Control-Cropland
  • Elimination of weedy habitats
  • Tillage
  • Herbicide
  • Perennial, sod-forming grass
  • Tillage on land infested with eggs
  • Delayed planting

17
Cultural Control(protecting trees)
  • Vinyl tree protectors
  • Guard-Tex Tree Wrap
  • Tree trunk paint

18
Biological Control
  • Insect predators
  • Blister ground beetles attack eggs
  • Birds, chickens, your foot!
  • Nosema locustae Nolo Bait, Grasshopper Attack
    Large acreages 40-50 percent control
  • EVEN viruses fungi in nature

19
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20
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21
Chemical Control
  • Non-cropland Chemicals
  • Asana, diazinon, malathion and carbaryl
  • Rangeland - Dimilin
  • Improved Pasture Chemicals
  • Malathion and carbaryl

22
Dimilin for Suppressing Grasshoppers
  • Insect Growth Regulator
  • Restricted
  • Application rate 1-2 oz/acre
  • Apply early when nymphs are present
  • Mix with Sevin if applying later

23
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24
Integrated Pest Management
  • Use of all three techniques in combination with
    monitoring pest populations

25
Integrated Grasshopper Management
  • Control should begin before grasshoppers move
    into landscape.
  • check for grasshoppers in weedy areas
  • spot treatment in these areas can be effective
  • Scout field margins
  • border and spot treatments if needed

26
Integrated grasshopper management (slide 2)
  • Plow undisturbed areas in late summer
  • Preferred egg laying site
  • Takes away adult and immatures food
  • Reduced tillage may increase numbers
  • Sanitation

27
Integrated grasshopper management (slide 3)
  • Floating row covers
  • Harmony Farm Supply
  • Gardens Alive
  • Non-cropland Chemicals
  • Asana, diazinon, malathion and carbaryl
  • Rangeland - Dimilin
  • Improved Pasture Chemicals
  • Malathion and carbaryl

28
Grasshopper Ratings/Square Yard
29
Integrated grasshopper management (slide 4)
  • RAAT Treatments on Pastures
  • Reduced Area Agent Treatments
  • Skip swath

30
Integrated grasshopper management (slide 5)
  • Homeowner Chemical
  • Pyrethroids
  • bifenthrin (Ortho Ready to Use Home Defense and
    others),
  • permethrin (Pro Tech Sniper Yard and Garden
    Concentrate, Spectracide Bug Stop, Eliminator
    Home Pest Insect Control and others)
  • cyfluthrin (Bayer Advanced Garden Lawn and
    Garden Multi Insect Killer)

31
Integrated grasshopper management (slide 6)
  • Baiting
  • 5 Carbaryl bait
  • Wilbur-Ellis
  • 4 to 32 feet wide
  • 40 pounds per acre
  • Problems with baiting
  • Some grasshoppers have narrow food preferences

32
  • Tinjiya (Tswana recipe) remove the wings and
    hindlegs of the locusts, and boil in a little
    water until soft. Add salt, if desired, and a
    little fat and fry until brown. Serve with
    cooked, dried mealies (corn).
  • Cambodia take several dozen locust adults,
    preferably females, slit the abdomen lengthwise
    and stuff a peanut inside. Then lightly grill the
    locusts in a wok or hot frying pan, adding a
    little oil and salt to taste. Be careful not to
    overcook or burn them.

Lets Eat!!!
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