What to do about grasshoppers (flowers, butterflies, insects, nursery)

[cl723]

Last year we had a lot more grasshoppers than usual. They ruined all of my flowers that I had planted and even ruined the flowers in the hanging baskets. The only flowers that they didn`t touch were the mums but I don`t want to put in mums this year.This year I want to put in some bushes(i think they are called Blue Knight?) and I would like to have some nice flowers. Would anyone know what types of bushes and flowers grasshoppers don`t eat? I`ve heard about that pelet stuff that they eat and die but I`d just rather have flowers and bushes that they won`t touch.

[Dusty Rhodes]

Well, when I was in W.Africa grasshoppers fried in coconut (isip mbakara) oil were a common food, rather tasty too.

[High_Plains_Retired]

Originally Posted by cl723

Last year we had a lot more grasshoppers than usual. They ruined all of my flowers that I had planted and even ruined the flowers in the hanging baskets. The only flowers that they didn`t touch were the mums but I don`t want to put in mums this year.This year I want to put in some bushes(i think they are called Blue Knight?) and I would like to have some nice flowers. Would anyone know what types of bushes and flowers grasshoppers don`t eat? I`ve heard about that pelet stuff that they eat and die but I`d just rather have flowers and bushes that they won`t touch.

I am not an expert on grasshoppers but from my limited grasshopper work with the USDA many years ago, I know grasshopper populations tend to be a lot worst in some years than others. I'm not sure where you are located but most range outbreaks occur when drought conditions exists.

As far as the grasshoppers not touching your Chrysanthemums, this is the plant from which the organic insecticide pyrethrin is derived and the plants sometimes exhibit a repellent effect on insects.

Unfortunately I cannot recommend which other plants would be resistant but you may want to discuss this with your local County Agent or nursery. At any rate, best of luck.

[mortisha]

I sympathize! I live in eastern WY and last year grasshoppers stripped my carefully cultivated xeroscaped garden. I can get heat, cold and drought resistant plants but nothing can stand up to a grasshopper plague. The sadder thing is that it is predicted that they will be even worse this year. My bad luck is that I live in country in the middle of farm land and the farmers spray their crops and the hopppers migrate to my unsprayed acrege. I asked the U of WYO extension farm agent if he had any ideas and the short answer is "no".

I remember a year when I was riding my bicycle down a hill and the grasshoppers were so thick on the highway that I couldn't see the road and they quickly got all over me, in my face,.... ICK!!!! I hope it won't be that bad this summer but signs are that last year's batch laid a lot of eggs.

[(901)]

I have a pet grasshopper

[mortisha]

When we were kids we would have pet grasshoppers and a tie thread around a leg and have jumping contests. Sometimes we would give them "rides" on a spinning-type grass sprinkler; unfortunately the thread would often get caught and tear the leg off.....we didn't mean to be evil, really.

[kygman]

But wouldn't sevin dust or spray keep them off plants?

They're great fish bait too!
When I was quite a bit younger we would catch a grasshopper, pull the wings off and throw them out on the lake. The kicking legs when they try to swim in attracts fisn. Watch the grasshopper disappear!

[mortisha]

I tried seven powder on just two of my plants that I really wanted to save and it killed EVERY living thing. I had no bees, butterflies, ladybugs - nothing. I won't do that again.