However, left uncontrolled, severe outbreaks are capable of destroying crops. Populations are often worst in drought years. Grasshoppers are most often a problem in isolated fields in foothill areas near weedy or grassy areas where they overwinter.
Grasshoppers deposit their eggs in soil in the fall and hatch in the spring.
A nymph, the immature form, becomes an adult in 40 to 60 days. Mass migration of grasshoppers it fields from overwintering sites can occur in the spring, when the natural vegetation starts to dry. In areas with a history of grasshopper infestations, check overwintering sites to detect potential problems while infestations are isolated and insignificant. Insecticide use in a field is advised when grasshopper populations reach 20 per square yard in field margins or 8 per square yard within the field. Spot treatment can be very effective when grasshopper populations are isolated.