Unless you see this, I just don’t see how anyone can believe how bad these giant grasshoppers are. I surely wouldn’t believe it if I weren’t fighting it right now. Just a few minutes ago, I was sitting at my computer in the sewing room and glanced up at the window. There was a huge grasshopper sitting on the screen and then I did a double take. He was eating the screen!
There’s a third hole over on the right side but you can’t see it in this picture. The screens are not metal but who would think these grasshoppers would be eating them . . whatever they are? I went and found Vince and had him come look. He couldn’t believe it either! We have a couple of screens at the house that need replacing so Vince said he’ll get someone to come out and replace all the screens and be sure we use grasshopper proof metal!
I sure hope they don’t eat the new patio furniture! And, I hope they all die soon . . every one of them . . and I never see them again!
Debbie Rhodes says
That is bad… .. guess the grasshoppers are not liking the dry grass. we gave up on cushions on our deck because the squirrels pulled the stuffing out and carried up to their nests!!
Rebecca says
I would guess that the cushions are similar fiber (to be weather-resistant)!! I never imagineed the stupid things eating such non-food items. A pox on the grasshoppers!
I was telling somebody yesterday about your grasshoppers, and of course she said “they grow things bigger in Texas!”
Ava Crotinger says
Judy – When I was a kid growing up in Texas, we had a similar grasshopper plague. It was so bad the little town we lived near sprayed to kill ’em. Mother and Daddy gave my brother and I the job of disposing of the bodies. It seemed like there were mountains of dead grasshoppers. We raked them up and transported them in the wash tub to the cow pasture on the other side of our fence. I remember this grasshopper event vividly as there’s more to the story. The older, 10-year old sister thinking the little brother wasn’t working hard enough was a girl who couldn’t throw and hit the side of a barn, but caused a trip to the emergency room and a few stitches for poor little brother. I’m blaming it all on those stinkin’ grasshoppers.
liz says
Do the chickens like the grasshoppers? But, you wouldn’t be able to spray for them if you were also feeding the hoppers to the chickens?
Do you have territorial wasps – they are very large and are also called cicada-killers. You would know if you had them since they bury the cicadas after laying their eggs in them. I have small mounds of dirt in my garden where they are making tunnels. I seek revenge by spraying bug killer down the holes!.
Alma says
Have the grasshoppers done much damage to your garden?
Quiltinggranna says
I’m beginning to fight the grasshoppers as well. Have not noticed any eating my screens but they love the leaves of my plants. I haven’t started spraying yet but blast them with a spray of water as they don’t like water. Howard Garrett in his column in the Dallas Morning News had the name of the spray for them but I didn’t save it. Probably on his website. But I am trying to raise butterflies and would probably kill them.
Margie Campbell says
Ugh! We had moths really bad…hundreds out in this sewing area, and at least half a dozen in the house every time we went in and out…finally they are gone…I had to bug bomb out here, taped all the windows & vents. Grasshoppers…don’t like them either…hope they don’t come North of Lubbock, TX..lol.
Pam in KC says
About 10 year ago when my mom and brother moved out into the country they had a bad grasshopper year. They ate all of the screens. I think it was some sort of soy based plastic. When they asked at the extension service or co-op what to do about them, they were told (only sort of jokingly) to carry a 2 x 4. They were that bad. I haven’t seen them that bad since.
Missy says
My cat Muffin, loves to chase those big grasshoppers. I don’t think he likes the fact they are outside and he is inside though!
vickie van dyken says
OMG !!! I thought Goats ate anything??? I know they were bad but my goodness!! If they don’t like water maybe a mister over the windows?? Golly what will they do to the cotton crop …seems I recall a joke about that…maybe it is true?? Forget the Stash Report, buy fabric before the hoppers destroy all the cotton!!! 🙂 Now that is making lemonade from lemons (or hoppers) hahahahaha. Hope the infestation ends soon.
Dora Scheer says
I moved here 10 years ago, and this is the first year we haven’t had horrible numbers of grasshoppers; that’s not to say they couldn’t arrive any time (I did see one small one yesterday.)
I had no idea they would eat screens!
(We’re having flies this year. Don’t much like them either.)
I hope your grasshoppers don’t try to carry off your chickens!
Beth says
Judi, I love the new layout of your website. It’s wonderful. the Grasshoppers, not so much!! All I can say is ewww.
Linda Steller says
Ewww! It’s like the attack of the zombies or something and their trying to get in and even the screen isn’t going to stop them. Better get a couple of layers of razor-sharp screening!
Linda Steller says
they’re, that is!
Donna A says
Several years ago we had a bad year of grasshoppers too. They ate holes in our screens just like they did yours. There were soooo many of them that they made the highways slimey from being run over and hit by cars. We (at UPS) had quite a time trying to keep them cleaned off the front of the big brown trucks and out of the radiators. I learned how to replace screen; it’s very easy and not expensive (unless you have someone else do it). I would imagine Vince could find out how on line or at a home improvement store.
Penny Hankey says
Yuk! I’m SO glad I live in the UK!
Sharon says
My husband is a glass/window man and a lady at church was asking him about the very same thing. Grasshoppers were eating her screens also. He said you can spray them with bug killer and that will keep them off the screens. (spray the screens). He said it will keep them from eating the screens. They are horrible here this year also (in Arkansas) worse than I have ever seen them.
Barbara says
I recall my grandfather saying they ate the “shine” off his rake handle.
Lee Ann L. says
Chant to yourself. Winter is coming. Winter is coming. Winter is coming!
We have those gigantic grasshoppers at the ranch house too. I mean, they’re big-a$$ gigantic monster grasshoppers! So far, they haven’t done any major damage.
Kim says
I live in missouri and just drove a stetch of highway 15 north that was so covered in grasshoppers the truck in front of me was leaving tracks through them. I have never seen anything like that in my life. I came home and told my kids and trying to find out why.