How to Get Rid of Grasshoppers and Prevent Infestations

Grasshoppers are jumping insects in the order Orthoptera. They are typically green or brown and have short antennae, long bodies, small front legs, large hind legs (for jumping), and wings. As herbivorous insects, grasshoppers consume large amounts of leafy plant matter, from grass to shrubs to crops, and many growers consider them serious garden pests.

Common species of grasshoppers in the United States include common field grasshoppers (genus Chorthippus), two-striped grasshoppers (genus Melanoplus), differential grasshoppers (genus Melanoplus), lubbers (family Romaleidae), and swarming locusts (genus Schistocerca). Closely related insects include katydids and crickets.

Small numbers of grasshoppers in your garden are not a cause for concern. They can be beneficial insects that serve an important role in the ecosystem, providing food for predators like birds and lizards and leaving waste rich in nutrients for the surrounding plants.

However, an abundance of grasshoppers can devastate a vegetable garden. Adults can consume up to sixteen times their body weight per day—eating most of the leaves, stems, and produce and leaving any remaining plants too weak to thrive. If you see many ragged, chewed holes through plant leaves, stems, fruits, or veggies of your garden plants, you may have a grasshopper infestation.

Grasshoppers are especially attracted to gardens with:

• Tasty crops: Grasshoppers can eat a wide range of plant matter, though they’re especially attracted to alfalfa, corn, clover, grasses, and small grains. If you plant any of these crops densely, you may be attracting swarms of grasshoppers to your garden.
• Good hiding spots: Grasshoppers prefer areas with dense weeds and vegetation, which provides more food sources, hiding spots from predators, and places to lay eggs.
• Few predators: Grasshoppers will naturally become more abundant in areas with few natural predators, like birds, spiders, and lizards.

There are a few ways to prevent grasshoppers from reaching large numbers in your garden:

• Till the soil biannually: Female grasshoppers lay their eggs on plants and in the soil in late summer, where they lay dormant all winter before hatching in spring. You can disrupt the life cycle of new grasshoppers by tilling your garden soil well in mid-fall and early spring—the fall till will upset or destroy eggs that the insects have recently laid, and the spring till will take care of the eggs that are about to hatch.
• Spray strong-smelling substances on plants: Certain strong-smelling scents repel grasshoppers and many other insects. DIY garlic spray, vinegar spray, and hot pepper spray are common homemade remedies for home gardeners (a commercial grasshopper repellent will also work). Simply put the substance in a spray bottle and spray it around your garden. These tactics work best when the grasshopper population is relatively low—they won’t work if you’re experiencing a major infestation.
• Cover your plants: Using floating row covers or plastic sheeting are simple tactics for preventing grasshopper damage in your garden, creating a barrier between the insects and your tender plants.
• Maintain a pruning schedule: Keeping your garden weed-free and trimming the surrounding areas will reduce the number of hiding places for nymphs and adult grasshoppers, exposing them to natural predators.

If you’re experiencing a grasshopper problem in your garden, you may need to take more serious steps to control the population and protect your plants:

• Encourage natural predators: Many natural grasshopper predators will help serve as a natural pest control method for your garden. Set up bird feeders to attract birds, basking rocks to attract lizards, or a small pond to attract frogs and toads. If you see spiderwebs around your garden, consider leaving one or two of them alone so that the spiders can eat grasshoppers and other pesky insects.
• Dust your plants with flour: If grasshoppers are targeting plants in your garden, consider dusting the leaves and stems of those plants with all-purpose flour or kaolin clay, which will stick to the insects’ mouthparts and render them unable to eat.
• Set up bait traps: There are many types of bait traps that you can set up to attract and kill grasshoppers. An easy DIY bait trap is a molasses trap—set up a bowl near your garden filled with 90 percent water and 10 percent molasses. The sugar molasses will attract the insects, which will become trapped in the water.
• Spray a natural insecticide: If your grasshopper numbers are still out of control, you can spray an organic pesticide like neem oil directly on nymphs or your plants, or spread a biological control agent like Nosema locustae to help with grasshopper control.

Grow your own garden with Ron Finley, the self-described "Gangster Gardener." Get the MasterClass Annual Membership and learn how to cultivate fresh herbs and vegetables, keep your house plants alive, and use compost to make your community—and the world—a better place.