There are many pests that cause chewing damage to plants. One of them is the grasshopper.
Grasshoppers are harmful insects that feed on garden plants and field crops. As a result, it is vital that you get rid of them before an infestation occurs.
These critters date back to the Triassic period, and it is believed that they are one of the oldest chewing herbivorous insects [1].
How to Get Rid of Grasshoppers Naturally
Below are some great natural methods and home remedies to either kill or stop these pests from eating your plants.
1. Garlic Spray
Garlic is one of the cheapest home remedies to repel grasshoppers and keep locusts away from crops.
To make garlic spray for grasshoppers, you’ll need 2 bulbs of garlic and 1 quart of water. Blend well, then heat up the mixture until it reaches a boiling point. Next, remove it from the heat and let it sit overnight.
Strain through cheesecloth to get out all the garlic chunks, and store the solution in a glass jar until ready to use. When ready, add 1 part of the garlic concentrate to 10 parts water in a spray bottle.
Spray this garlic pesticide early in the morning when the plants are dry, coating them evenly, even the underside of the leaves. Reapply this homemade grasshopper spray once a week or if the plants get wet from overhead watering or rain.
2. Vinegar Spray
Another DIY natural spray repellent is vinegar. Moreover, you can use either plain white or apple cider vinegar.
To get rid of grasshoppers with vinegar, mix one part vinegar with three parts water and 4-5 drops of liquid soap. Apply just as you would garlic spray.
3. Natural Predators
One grasshopper pest control method that doesn’t involve poison is attracting natural enemies. Grasshoppers have lots of natural predators, including:
- Rodents
- Ground beetles
- Praying mantis
- Frogs
- Raccoons
- Some snakes
- Lizards
- Spiders
- Birds
- Opossums
4. Grass Trap
Another grasshopper control method is the grass trap. Grasshoppers like to eat grass and other plants in the grass family.
Therefore, planting grass on the edges of your garden as well as in isolated parts of your yard will draw them away from the plants you want to eat yourself.
5. Birds
Attracting birds is a great way to kill grasshoppers on plants organically. All kinds of birds love eating flying insects. Bluebirds, blackbirds, chickens, hawks, guineas, and blue jays all eat grasshoppers.
Providing a source of water and shelter will draw many wild birds to you. Moreover, chickens and guinea fowl make great domestic pets, and both lay eggs that are good to eat.
However, chickens tend to do damage to some garden plants, while guinea fowl are noisy. But on the plus side, having them is a smart way of controlling grasshoppers in your vegetable garden.
6. Nolo Bait
This is a brand of natural insecticide made from wheat bran. It’s covered with a single-celled protozoan called Nosema locustae.
This biological insecticide kills grasshoppers and insects closely related to them, including Mormon crickets and locusts.
In 2 to 4 weeks after the application, half the population will be dead. Nolo Bait is a long-term solution that will require repeat applications to be successful.
7. Hot Pepper Spray
Mixing hot peppers with garlic, water, and organic liquid soap also makes an excellent natural grasshopper repellent spray.
Moreover, it will repel other insects too, as both the taste and the smell of the solution will be horrible to them.
8. Soapy Water
This home remedy tends to be a bit time-consuming, but it kills them.
Knock the grasshoppers off the plants and into a bucket of soapy water, where they’ll drown. You can also spray the solution directly on the pests.
For the recipe, mix 4 tablespoons of liquid soap with a gallon of water. Dawn dish soap can work; however, use organic soaps for organic vegetable gardens.
This solution will help you keep grasshoppers off your plants and prevent attacks. It is also great for getting rid of grasshoppers in your house.
9. Tilling
Do this early in the spring and right after harvest. Both times will serve to destroy egg pods and disrupt this part of the grasshopper’s life cycle.
10. Flour
Using a fluffy brush or a makeup brush to dust your plants with flour is another great way to get rid of grasshoppers.
Regular household flour, when it mixes with the pests’ saliva, creates a glue that seals up the mouth. As a result, they will likely die of hunger before they can get it off.
11. Frogs
A pond or any other shallow water feature will attract frogs to your garden, and they love eating grasshoppers. In dry areas, toads are also good for getting rid of these insects.
12. Neem Oil
Neem oil is more effective against grasshopper nymphs, as their bodies are still pretty small and more susceptible to poisoning. Spraying your plants with the product will also keep the adults away.
To use neem oil for grasshoppers, combine one teaspoon of organic liquid soap with two tablespoons of neem oil and a gallon of water. Shake well, and use this homemade grasshopper killer spray to coat your plants.
13. Repellent Plants
There are several plants that grasshoppers won’t eat—not just flowers but herbs and vegetables as well. Some will also keep them away.
Plants that repel grasshoppers include Dianthus, Lantana, Chinese Brake Fern, Moss Rose, Verbena, Jasmine, Sage, and Crepe Myrtle.
Using these as companion plants in your garden will turn these plant-eaters away before they do any damage.
14. Row Covers
Row covers will create a barrier between grasshoppers and your plants. This means they will have to go elsewhere to eat.
Row covers will also keep away other bad insects.
15. Kaolin Clay
Mix this natural powder with water and liquid soap before applying it to your plants. Kaolin clay will keep away these insects as it creates a barrier between them and your plants.
16. Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
DE is another excellent natural way to repel all types of garden pests. Dusting diatomaceous earth on the plants where grasshoppers feed will kill the critters.
It will dehydrate them to death. However, it is best to use food-grade DE for the organic control of grasshoppers in vegetable gardens and in your house.
17. Insecticidal Soap Spray
Insecticidal soaps made with pure organic ingredients can be purchased commercially.
The solution is effective when sprayed on the nymphs and might repel adults as well. Moreover, you can use it on the day of harvest.
18. Molasses Trap
For this grasshopper bait recipe, all you need is molasses and water.
Fill a yellow bucket with water and 10% molasses. Next, place it in the rows where your crops are planted to draw grasshoppers in and drown them.
You can also bury a jar halfway into the ground, partly filled with a water-molasses solution (10:1). The critters will then hop in.
Pick the dead ones out and reuse the trap.
19. Semaspore Bait
This is another brand that contains Nosema locustae. Semaspore Bait is great for killing grasshoppers eating plants.
Apply it to hatching beds and surrounding areas. For more details on how to properly apply, follow the directions on the container.
Species
Grasshoppers are listed as being in the order Orthoptera and suborder Caelifera, which has over 12,000 species.
They are all over the world, except for very cold areas like Antarctica. Additionally, grasshoppers vary in size and color (green, brown, red, orange, and even rainbow), depending on their species.
Life Cycle
They have three main life cycles, and their lifespans depend on their species.
Egg
Males insert sperm into the female’s vagina and fertilize the eggs. The female lays the eggs and sprays them with a semi-liquid substance that creates a pod around them.
Each of the pods can contain up to 150 eggs, and each female can lay as many as 25 pods, depending on the species. The eggs are laid around midsummer, hidden under soil or leaf litter.
Nymph
This stage has five instars, or molting stages, where it sheds its exoskeleton as it grows. However, they can eat after they are one day old and will eat about half their body weight every day.
Nymphs are wingless and can’t reproduce. They also only eat succulent and soft plant foliage low to the ground.
They remain in this cycle for 5 to 6 weeks, though it can be shorter depending on the species.
Adult
After the last molting, nymphs emerge as adults, but their wings are not yet formed. It takes about a month for the wings to completely develop.
Meanwhile, the adult grasshopper diet is more substantial, eating even more than the nymphs as they grow their wings and look for mates.
Females start laying eggs 1 to 2 weeks after becoming adults, and they will continue to do so every week until death occurs. Adults live for about two to three months, but their lifespan can be shorter or longer, depending on the weather.
Locust vs. Grasshopper
Most grasshoppers are typically solitary and only come together to mate. However, they can gather for feeding in small groups when there’s plenty of food. They’re a nuisance, but they don’t cause a huge amount of damage.
Locusts can be solitary and social and can live together in groups, flying together from one patch of food to another. Swarms of locusts have been one of the leading causes of famine in some of the poorer parts of the world.
Additionally, locusts have smaller bodies and bigger, stronger wings for long-distance flying, though the pasture grasshopper is also a strong flier.
See also: 25 ways to keep mosquitoes away from your house and yard naturally.
Takeaway
Grasshoppers will eat your plants and become quite destructive to your garden; however, the best offense is a good defense.
By stopping even a single grasshopper from invading, you can save yourself a lot of work and lost crops. Utilizing the above natural remedies will help greatly.
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