How to identify and get rid of American bird grasshoppers

Summer brings poolside lounging, vacations, and time spent out in the garden. However, it also brings plague-like insects to your yard!

Grasshoppers are often the source of frustration for many lawns and gardens.

But not just any grasshopper can invoke that kind of fear.

We’re talking about the American bird grasshopper, known for its impressive size and jumping ability. While these grasshoppers aren’t a threat to you directly, they can be quite the garden pest, feasting on your plants and vegetables.

The American bird grasshopper, also known as Schistocerca americana, thrives across the United States, particularly favoring open fields and grassy lawns, just like the ones in most suburban and rural gardens.

Their life cycle begins in the warm months when females lay clusters of eggs in the soil. These eggs then hatch into nymphs that look very similar to their parents but without the wings.

Each growth stage has an increasing appetite, leading to greater plant damage as the grasshoppers grow. Once they reach maturity, they begin changing colors and develop long wings. They are known to be strong flyers and can fly several hundred feet if disturbed.

The American bird grasshopper is one of the larger grasshopper species you might encounter in your yard. These grasshoppers are usually brown or green, which helps them blend into their surroundings, but they also sport distinctive yellow or orange markings that can give them away.

They have a white, creamy stripe that runs down from their head to the wings. Also, you can identify them by a black dot behind the side of their head that is split by a white line.

On their legs, you’ll notice a white dot on the “knees” of the grasshopper and their speckled wings.

How big are American bird grasshoppers?

Adults are about 1.5 to 2.5 inches long.

American bird grasshoppers are found throughout the United States. They live in grassy areas and open fields.

Due to their ability to fly long distances and evade most control measures, keeping American bird grasshoppers away from your property can be a bit challenging.

However, you can do a few things to minimize the damage they do to your garden, lawn, or landscape plants.

• Habitat alteration: Reduce tall grassy areas where grasshoppers like to hang out.
• Row covers: Use floating row covers to protect plants in your garden.
• Predators: Encourage natural predators like birds or praying mantises that feed on grasshoppers.
• Handpicking: If you find nymphs early enough, you can handpick them off plants. Nymphs cannot fly and escape.

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