Wednesday, July 24, 2013

The Grasshopper Apocalypse

I just posted a video I made today of the rampant grasshopper invasion at the farm. The locals tell me it started about two years ago and that the insects have demolished a vast amount of greenery.

I've been told by some folks that they spray their garden and yard every other day (with pesticide) to try to combat these pests. I hope to find a natural way so I can keep the poisons OFF the garden. I've been using THIS on them so far, just spraying it around the yard. There's so many of them that I can't really tell if it is working.

Here's the video about the Grasshopper Apocalypse:



I'm not going to worry about them until I have a garden to protect. It thins them out pretty good when I mow the grass but they are back in full force within a week.

Any suggestions?

~OJD

19 comments:

  1. OJD,

    You have three solutions.

    1.Napalm

    2.4000 hungry Gecko's

    3.Eat the Grasshoppers yourself, lots of protein. Ultimate survival food (just ask any Gecko)

    Tex Texan

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  2. 2nd to Jesse - You'd have the fattest yard birds and you'd not need to buy any feed.

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  3. Chickens, a couple of dozen and no more grasshoppers, snails, slugs.In fact if they can catch it they'll eat it! DDon't forget to leave oyster shell or similar out for them to give good firm egg shells. Those grasshoppers wil be gone quick. If you have trouble with predators build a wheeled run and move it each day. They'll fertilise the ground at the same time!

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  4. OJD,

    I agree with the post's above.

    Chickens.....

    I never had had Chickens on the farm where I grew up. We had Gecko's instead. Never eat "Deep Fried Gecko"

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  5. Chickens or Gineas. Ya need about 15. Gineas will eat their weight in bugs. They also will not tear up the garden as bad as chickens. Plus they are the best watchcritter out there

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  6. ..."They'll fertilise the ground at the same time!"...
    And every kid will step in it at least daily.
    DG - grew up on a farm and hated chickens.

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  7. Looks like one of the plagues that God sent on Egypt to "Let my people go".

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  8. I remember seeing swarms of grasshoppers eating the crops in the Oregon high desert. There are lots of round patches out there full of plants growing, because they have those circular irrigation systems. My brother and I drove through clouds of those things, they were smashed all over the vehicle. I remember thinking that there just wasn't anything the farmers could do, the numbers of grasshoppers were so vast. I hope you have luck getting rid of them. I could FedEx my 56 chickens out on loan to you, but I doubt even their prodigious appetites would be adequate to the task.

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  9. Well I just have a very small garden but the grasshoppers love it. We're not allowed to have chickens (city ordinance). This year we seem to have a healthy toad population, so any time I see one in the back yard, I grab it and put it in the garden. I really think they've made a difference! Plus it's fun to watch them grab a hopper with those lightning-fast tongues.

    Haha, you'd need a heck of a lot of toads for a farm, though. Chickens would be a better idea :)

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  10. We live in Colorado and grasshoppers were a problem till the neighbor lady got guinea hen. It took less than a season and they are all gone. Keeps rattlesnakes away too!

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  11. HAVE CHOCOLATE!!
    Simmered in butter, Dipped in sweet semi chocolate...My daughter & I do this every year...more as a fun ritual....at least enjoy a few, of natures bounty!

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  12. Grasshopper infestations around here run in cycles. They will be bad for two years. Then their predators will abound and the grasshoppers will disappear for two years. I wish the same good luck for you.

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  13. I am in zone 7b and the grasshoppers were this thick last year. I bought a 10 lb bag of NOLO bait, it is stomach virus placed on wheat bran for grasshoppers and they cannibilze the carcasses and spread it. Marked decrease this year. Not enough damage this year yet to order again. We did the yard, garden, and first 20 feet of pasture around the place. Just my 2C worth.

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  14. Awesome music on the g-hopper video!
    We live in SE OK, in the area between Durant & McAlister, but have relatively few g-hoppers compared to your video.
    Will u use the Sevin on your garden?
    With prayers & best wishes!

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Don't you spam me...I'll just delete it!