The Midwest is hopping this summer, as the number of grasshoppers spikes.
Entomologists said wet weather patterns this spring are supporting the presence of large grasshopper populations.
Hot, dry summers increase the likelihood of young grasshoppers surviving to adulthood. More adult grasshoppers mean increased egg production during cooler months.
If the following spring is warm and wet, more eggs hatch, and more young grasshoppers can survive.
So, several years of hot, dry summers followed by warm, wet springs can eventually lead to large populations of grasshoppers in some regions.
Ag producers will have lessened chances for rainfall in coming weeks.
Probabilities stretching into August favor above-normal temperatures and near-normal chances of moisture.
Extra rainfall in early spring has helped spur leafy plant growth, including broadleaf weeds, which grasshoppers thrive in.
Ag producers should be aware of higher-than-normal grasshopper numbers, but most crops should be mature enough to withstand some defoliation from grasshoppers eating them.
Five to eight grasshoppers per square yard in corn or sorghum fields may be enough to warrant insecticide treatment.
Later this season, fall-planted crops could be at risk, especially as alternate food sources are controlled or go dormant.
If an ag producer planting alfalfa finds 15 or more grasshoppers per square yard around the planting area, treating the area is recommended before planting.
For wheat, the vegetated borders around the planting areas should be scouted at least 10 days before planting with treatment recommended if there are seven to 12 grasshoppers per square yard.
Three or more grasshoppers per square yard within a wheat field can destroy seedling wheat stands.
Seed treatments can protect emerging wheat plants for several weeks, as long as the grasshopper population remains low.
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