Biology

• The grasshopper life cycle has three stages of development: egg, nymph and adult. There is only one generation of grasshoppers produced each year, so grasshoppers that survive and develop into adults each feed and mate vigorously until they die in the fall. Populations typically survive on natural vegetation, but several years of favorable conditions may lead to large populations of grasshoppers that can cause serious damage to nearby gardens.
  
  

Damage

• Grasshoppers are most often a threat to home gardens in late July and August, when agricultural crops have been harvested and the grasshoppers must look for other sources of food. Grasshoppers will readily feed on many garden flowers and plants such as lettuce, sweet corn, carrots and many varieties of beans. Large numbers of grasshoppers can cause significant damage to garden crops if left alone.
  
  

Control

• Because they are highly mobile and their large size reduces the effectiveness of most pesticides, grasshoppers are one of the most difficult pests to control. Keeping your garden area green and full of fresh grass growth and surrounded by a ring of tall unmoved wild grass may help prevent grasshoppers from finding your garden. A natural border to attract grasshoppers also allows you to apply pesticide to large concentration of grasshoppers away from your garden. If you feel that a grasshopper infestation is inevitable, you can cover the plants you wish to protect with aluminum window screening.