Grasshopper egg and hatchling survival can be reduced in extreme moisture or drought conditions. Some counties can expect to see reduced numbers from last year, while other counties will see higher numbers. High densities of grasshoppers were found during the 1998 breeding season in specific counties and municipal districts in Stettler, Camrose, Wainwright, Sturgeon, Oyen, and Consort. Moderate to high densities were found in municipal districts in Cardston and Taber. In a typical scouting site, up to 25 species of grasshoppers could be found, of which four species may be pests.
Grasshoppers emerge and can become a problem at varying times throughout the summer.
Grasshoppers are usually not a big pest on canola, but when they are, it's usually the two-striped. In southern Alberta, any canola damage is usually due to the two-striped grasshopper. The clear-winged grasshopper diet also includes grass. Numbers of non-crop grasshoppers on rangeland have also increased slightly. Based on last year's requirements, researchers estimate that insecticide control will be required on about 100,000 hectares of land in Alberta this year.