Have you noticed a grasshopper or two in your garden? A grasshopper eats about half of its body weight in plants each day. This is all well and good until its friends decide to join, which can quickly devastate your garden.
Grasshoppers can quickly become a pest infestation in your garden, which can leave devastating and costly results. So, if you suspect you have a grasshopper pest problem, it is important to take action; fast.
Read on to learn how to deal with grasshopper pest removal, so you can continue to enjoy your garden in peace.
Encourage Natural Predators
The best way to prevent a pest infestation is to encourage natural predators of grasshoppers to thrive in your garden. Many insect-eating birds, such as swallows and bluebirds, will manage your grasshopper population. You can also encourage other natural grasshopper predators, such as toads and mantis insects.
Cover Plants
A technique to get rid of pests is to use flour. It causes grasshopper’s mouths to gum up, which can cause them to starve. If you want to use this method, then use all-purpose flour and sprinkle a thin layer on affected plants.
If you have plants that grasshoppers are particularly partial to in your garden, then you can cover them with crop covers, a cheesecloth, or another covering to deter their nemesis.
Spray Garlic
Create a garlic mixture to spray on plants, as the garlic deters and gets rid of pests such as grasshoppers. Mix two bulbs of garlic with ten cups of water and boil it. Let the mixture sit overnight, then spray away.
Set Bait Traps
There are different bait traps for grasshopper pest removal, such as carbaryl. Another DIY trap is a molasses trap with water, as the sugar attracts the grasshoppers, who then get stuck in the mixture. Use roughly 90% water to 10% molasses.
Keep Chickens
Another way to prevent and get rid of pests is to keep chickens or other domestic birds such as geese. Chickens can eat a lot of grasshoppers, so having a few chickens roaming around can help control grasshopper numbers. Plus, it is nice to keep chickens in an open environment.
Call a Pest Control Service
Grasshoppers cost the US economy over 70 billion every year. And there are many different types of grasshoppers, so it can be difficult to know whether you need to manage the pest infestation or not.
The best option is to call a pest control company to assess the situation and get rid of pests before escalating. For example, the eastern lubber grasshopper and certain other species can become almost impossible to control if you do not take action fast.
Prevent Grasshopper Pest Infestation
As they say, prevention is better than cure. Be sure to tend to your garden throughout the year to eliminate weeds, keep an eye on pest levels, and prevent pest infestation. However, if you suspect a pest problem, call a pest control company, as they will be able to get rid of pests such as grasshoppers before the problem becomes uncontrollable.
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