Continued Good News for Grasshopper Risk on Rangeland

Bob Wright and Jeff Bradshaw

Extension Entomologists

The risk of grasshopper infestation in Nebraska rangelands will be low in 2022, with slightly higher risk in southwestern Nebraska, based on fall adult surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS).

As the accompanying map illustrates, a majority of the western United States is projected to have very low numbers. USDA-APHIS continues to provide us with regular updates on the status of rangeland grasshoppers across Nebraska.

Grasshopper numbers are responsive to environmental conditions; however, species differ in their response to precipitation, plant communities, soil characteristics, and microclimate. A wet spring and rains at time of grasshopper hatching and development (mid-May-June) improves rangeland forage quality and reduces the loss from grasshopper infestation.

Current long-range weather forecasts through March have indicated normal conditions, which might mean a continuation of cool, dry weather through the end of March. However, conditions beyond March appear to have a high degree of uncertainly at present.

Spotty occurrences of high grasshopper densities often occur throughout western Nebraska even in low-risk years. Therefore, ranchers and range managers should maintain vigilance to monitor grasshopper densities during hatching periods.

Keep an eye on Nebraska Extension’s CropWatch website (https://cropwatch.unl.edu) later this season for information on how to scout for rangeland grasshoppers.

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