Grasshopper Control: How to Get Rid of Grasshoppers

This page is an expert guide on how to get rid of grasshoppers using the products and methods suggested by our experienced pest control specialists. Follow this guide and use the recommended products; we guarantee you will successfully eliminate grasshoppers.

One of the common threats to a garden is infestations of grasshoppers. Grasshoppers can eat half of their body weight every day, which means they can cause a lot of damage quickly. If you discover that your leaves and stems have been chewed on, grasshoppers have most likely attacked your plants.

If uncontrolled, grasshoppers can cause infestations that severely damage entire crops. In the US alone, Grasshoppers cause 25% of yearly crop losses. You can find them in reddish, green, and brown colors with large hind legs that enable them to jump long distances.

If you are dealing with a grasshopper infestation, this helpful DIY guide has the necessary information. Read on to learn more about this pest and how to get rid of it using our expert techniques and professional-grade products.

Identification

Before you can carry out a grasshopper control program, ensure that the pest you are dealing with is a grasshopper and not some other bug. Misidentification can lead to using the wrong pesticides or treatment approach, which costs time and money.

• Grasshoppers can range in size between 1 to 7 cm as adults.
• Female grasshoppers are larger than males and have a sharp point on their backside, which they use to lay eggs underground.
• Grasshoppers have large eyes and antennae and can come in different colors, depending on the species, from brown to gray or green.
• Grasshoppers have chewing mouthparts, two sets of wings, and long back legs that allow them to jump high and far.
• Unlike grasshoppers, which can fly, they will do so in the summer and early fall to find places to eat food.

Use the image and description above to help you properly identify grasshoppers on your property. If you are unsure, contact us, and we will have one of our pros assist you with identification.

Inspection

After confirming that you are dealing with grasshoppers, you can proceed with an inspection. During this phase, you should look for areas where grasshoppers are frequently active. This will help you to determine where to focus your treatment applications.

Where To Inspect

Grasshoppers prefer to reside in areas with lots of grass and other low plants. In a residential area, they will be among tall grasses, in gardens, and around shrubbery because they don't like to be out in the open. Dry environments will have more brown or tan-colored grasshoppers, while moist environments tend to have more green grasshopper sightings.

What To Look For

It would be best to look for active grasshoppers or signs of damage. When you can't find hoppers, listen for a chirping noise, as it is their main form of communication. Look at leaves on your turf or in your garden for chew marks or holes, which are dead giveaways that they have been present and are eating.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed grasshopper activity, it is time to begin treatment. Remember to read all product labels, follow the application instructions on them, and wear personal protective equipment to stay safe.

To control grasshoppers, we recommend an outdoor perimeter treatment with Supreme IT. Supreme IT is a liquid-repellant insecticide concentrate labeled to control over 70 different pests, including grasshoppers.

Indoors, we recommend applying D-Fender Dust to round out your indoor treatment and kill grasshoppers hiding in hard-to-reach tight spaces.

Step 1: Broadcast Supreme IT on your yard/garden

Supreme IT is a liquid insecticide concentrate made with 7.9% bifenthrin. This product is used to control over 70 labeled pests, including grasshoppers. It can also be applied to garden plants and yard turf to control grasshoppers without harming the vegetation.

If you have a large yard, you could use a handheld pump sprayer or a hose-end sprayer. However, a pump sprayer is best for its versatility in different applications.

Broadcast the Supreme IT mixture over your yard and garden instead of spot-treating. Use a fan spray setting to get nice uniform coverage. 

You must broadcast Supreme IT at 0.25 to 0.5 oz. of product per 1,000 sq. ft.

Calculate the square footage of the treatment area to determine how much product to use. To do this, measure the area's length and width in feet and then multiply them together (length X width = square footage). Fill your sprayer with half a gallon of water and add your measured amount of Supreme IT. Fill the rest of the way with the remaining half of the water. Close the sprayer and shake to ensure an even distribution.

Broadcast the Supreme IT mixture evenly over your yard using a fan to ensure the grass blades are coated with the solution but not to the point of runoff.

Step 2: Use Supreme IT Outdoors as a Perimeter Spray

Once your turf and garden have been treated, you can create a perimeter barrier around your structure to prevent grasshoppers from invading indoors.

For a perimeter application, mix a solution of Supreme IT at a rate of 0.33 to 1.0 oz. of product per 1,000 sq. ft. of treatment area.

Begin by spraying the entry points outside your home, such as the window frames, door frames, vent openings, and other voids in the wall.

Once the entry points have been treated, you can spray 3 feet up and 3 feet out to create a perimeter barrier around your structure. You should avoid overlapping this application with your prior treatments.

Prevention

After the grasshopper population has been controlled, you don't want them to make a return. While a preventative treatment of Supreme IT around the exterior perimeter of your home is recommended every three months to keep grasshoppers from coming back, you can take other preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of a re-infestation.

• Since grasshoppers are attracted to overgrown grass, you must mow regularly while maintaining healthy turf. Mow once a week to a proper height of 3 to 4 inches. This will help keep your grass trimmed at its proper height to promote good root growth.
• Water your lawn properly with an inch of water in the morning once a week. This will help drive your turf roots deeper into the soil, encouraging healthier grass that more easily fights pests and diseases.
• Close up small entry points outside your structure with Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh and caulk for indoor infestations. Repair damaged screens and door seals.
• Outdoors trim back vegetation, including any overhanging branches on nearby trees.
• Lastly, be sure to keep up with reapplications of Supreme IT every 3 months to maintain control of grasshoppers and other pests year-long.

Key Takeaways

What are Grasshoppers?

• Grasshoppers are pests known to damage garden plants and fly accidentally into homes when residing close to a residence.

How To Control Grasshoppers

• To get rid of grasshoppers, we recommend applying Supreme IT Insecticide as a broadcast treatment and perimeter barrier. For any grasshoppers you encounter indoors, use D-Fender Dust. 

Preventing Grasshopper Reinfestation

• A quarterly preventative treatment of Supreme IT can keep grasshoppers away, implement exclusion, and eliminate conducive conditions to make your property less appealing to these pests.