Knowledgebase
grasshopper infestation in Aurora yard #875580
Asked July 01, 2024, 10:11 PM EDT
I live in West Aurora in a house that sat vacant for 15 yrs with minimal yard mainentance nad it seems grasshoppers have made themselves at home in 2/3 of the yard. My grass is mostly dead and the ground is dry and very compacted. I saw tiny grasshoppers in the late winter and now little nymphs are eveerywhere! Do you have any recommendations on how to get rid of them other than getting chickens. I do have 2 dogs, but i can walk them if I need to keep them out of my yard.
I really need some yard related fix, all I can find is for farms. Thank you.
Arapahoe County Colorado
Expert Response
Hi Stacia,
Grasshopper populations can fluctuate year to year, and so far 2024 is proving to be a horrible year for these pests along the front range. They can be difficult to control because they are so mobile, especially their adult stage. It is best to try to get them at egg hatch, when they are nymphs. You can use a bait, such as Ecobran but there's never any guarantee they will eat it. Your best bet may be to cover/net your plants to protect them if they are being eaten. In the future, you might consider irrigating/watering your yard to deter them, as they prefer dry and undisturbed areas to reproduce, which is what part of your yard sounds like.
Here is more information including cultural, biological and chemaical controls:
https://agsci.colostate.edu/agbio/ipm-pests/grasshopper/
Here is our factsheet about grasshoppers:
https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/insect/05536.pdf
I hope this helps!
Dawn
