Here's The Damadge Grasshoppers Can Do To Your Plants And Crops--And What to Do About It
 What are grasshoppers? They are garden pests that belong to the order of insects known a Orthopetra. They are very similar to katydids and bush crickets, and sometimes you will hear them further distinguished a short-horned type. Under some circumstances, they will change color and vastly change their behavior, becoming more gregarious and occasionally proving themselves deadly to farmers' crops. At that point, they would tend to be known as locusts. In this form, they can strip the landscape of any greenery in a matter of hours. What do look like? The garden pests are fairly recognizable thanks to their large heads and their hind legs, which are very long and powerful, making them powerful jumpers. Most of the 11,000 identified species have wings, but in general, it is the hind wings, with their membranes, which are fitted for flight, while the front wings are very small and almost leathery. The females in most species are larger than the males, while males have a single unpaired plate at the end of their abdomen. Females can be identified by short ovipositors and two triangles at the end of their abdomen which are used to dig in the sand when she is laying her eggs. What damage do these garden pests cause? When you are looking at the damage that they can cause your garden, you will find that the results can be fairly disastrous as the summer wears on. You may start seeing adult grasshoppers in your garden starting July and August, and the biggest risk that they pose is their ability to defoliate your plants. Not only can they strip away foliage, they can also take a hefty toll on ripening kernels of grain and fruit as well. Be aware that they have a preference for flowers and for vegetables that include lettuce, beans and corns. When grasshoppers start to swarm, however, even things that would be normally passed up can receive their destructive habits. Due to their habits, they may also pose a threat to small trees and shrubs. How to keep the garden pests away from your plants There are several ways to make sure that the insects do not such such a nasty toll on your garden. One of the best tips is to keep chickens around. Chickens will cheerfully chase the insects down and eat them, but if you cannot keep chickens, look into luring birds and squirrels to your garden to do the same thing. Another great way to get rid of the garden pests is to leave jars of molasses and water around, which will attract the grasshoppers into getting in and drowning. Top of grasshoppers page
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