What to do about locusts/flying-grasshoppers and how bad are they?

[z_willus_d]

I recently seeded thirty rather expensive sweet-corn seeds in a 31-gallon EarthTainer (plan was to cull out half). Things were looking nice after five days as I noted a lot small green corn blades shooting up. Yesterday, I went outside in the morning to find the crop had been demolished, as if a lawnmower had run over the lot of my corn seedlings. Their tops had been chewed off and half-way discarded. At first I thought it must be the birds -- they're everywhere of all types right now. Later in the day as I was working I espied a very larger locust just resting on a blade of my Lemon-Grass. It was probably 5" across if not more. I tried taking a swipe at it with my watering bucket, but I must not have had it in me as my swipe was weak and it just disappeared.

Later in the day I was vibrating my tomato blossoms with the old vibrating tooth-sexizer, and I noted yet another one of these things perched on my tomato plant (opposite side of the yard, 100' away from the first). This time I was more deliberate, and I swung at it with my vibrating brush head. I think I took off one of its large hopping legs, but it didn't seem too fazed. I saw it fly off to a nearby young Oak (blended in and disappeared), but then 1/2 hour later there it was in front of me on the tomato plant. Blasted I thought. What am I too do now?

So, I assume these things will eat up my corn seedlings and any number of other stuff, like my cucumber leafs and maybe even the tomatoes, right? What's the best deterrent for these monstrous insect beasts from the plague era? Do you think little birds might have eaten up my six dollars of corn seedlings, or shall I blame these buggers? I should have snapped a pic...I will next time I see one.

Thanks for helping.
-naysen

[Sun City Linda]

Nayson - I get them down here too, they are the "Spawn of Satan!" You can buy some expensive biological control that, I think makes them stop eating until they die (YES!) Cant remember the name but somebody will probably post it soon. Other than that, limitted choices as I recall. I have searched before and I dont remember ever finding anything that gave me the "ah hah" moment.

[kath]

naysen- the birds that would bother corn would pull the seedling out of the ground- I think they like eating the softened seed still attached. If they were chewed, it might be your UFI.

kath

[mdvpc]

Nosema locustae is the name, it comes under several brand names. I used to have hoppers chewing every year until I started using it. I buy a 5 lb bag every May and spread it around everywhere.

[Tracydr]

There is a sevin impregnated bran that is pretty safe for everything else. I think it's called ecobran.
Good luck!

[kath]

Nolo bait and Semaspore are a couple of the brand names for Nosema locustae. I think Peaceful Valley Supply carries it.

[z_willus_d]

All, thanks for the responses. I found two more today in my pepper plants. Awful looking creatures that I find hard to kill by hand, for multiple reasons. I'll look up the suggested controls. We're right off a dry, grassy greenbelt so there could be an endless supply of these monsters.

-naysen

[lakelady]

yikes, I'd be afraid of a bug that big !

We just got them rotten smelly stinkbugs all over the place this year. While they scare me and sound like little helicopters flying around, at least they are small. Maybe not so good as you don't always see them. Hey, at least there is ONE good thing about those locusts for you...big enough to see.

[z_willus_d]

Good luck with those stinkers Antoniette. I actually sucked-in my many qualms about crushing crunch-able insects and took out two of the baddies today. I feel zero guilt ending these things (strangely), while I actually feel quite poorly after obliterating the occasional spider (not my doing.. I can blame my sweetheart). I'm actually fascinated by spiders on multiple levels, and they never give me the heebeegeebees the way a crunch-able roach or locust do. Alright, enough on insect death. I guess it's far cleaner, if not more evil and sinister, to just starve 'em to death.

[Tracydr]

Here's the ecobran. I've heard from people in OK with huge grasshopper issues that it's the best.
http://www.grasshoppercontrol.com/ecobran.html

[z_willus_d]

Thanks Tracy. I tried clicking on the 2lb product, but was asked for a user/pass. Hopefully I can find an online reseller.
-naysen

[Mojave]

This year, for the first time, I've found several tiny (about 1/8 ") insects that look just like miniature grasshoppers. Will these grow into the pterodactyls menacing Naysen's yard? Or is this something different?

[z_willus_d]

According to our friend Wiki, Locusts are just the final "swarming" phase of the common short-horned grasshopper. Given that, I would say wait long enough and you might have a crop of locusts of your own. My home backs into a nice, dry, grassy "green-belt" ravine, which seems a perfect breeding ground for these monsters. On my trip to Taiwan a year or so back, I saw plenty of these things crisped up as if from BBQ or frying. They're some kind of delicacy there. I've actually eaten one of the smaller grasshopper ones some time back in my youth. Uggh. But, turning a problem into a business is quite innovated/creative I'd say.
-naysen

[kath]

naysen-

You can order the EcoBran and the other stuff from Planet Natural (www.planetnatural.com) 1-800-289-6656.

kath

[Mojave]

Is EcoBran safe around wild birds?