Park County Weed and Pest recommends early planning for grasshoppers Grasshoppers were a growing concern last year in Wyoming, and Park County Weed and Pest is encouraging farmers to take action early in order to prevent a bigger problem this year.Scott Schell, assistant extension entomologist at the University of Wyoming, said his best guess is that there will be more grasshoppers this summer than last, because the hoppers laid “lots of eggs” last summer and there has been good moisture to promote their growth.

Grasshoppers have not been a big concern in Park County up to now, but they have been a growing problem in eastern Wyoming in recent years as well as in Big Horn, Washakie and Hot Springs counties.

An annual survey done last year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found nearly 7.5 million acres with infestations of nine or more hoppers per square yard. The same survey in 2008 found less than 1.2 million acres with that level of infestation.

Schell spoke about the possibility that Park County may see an increase in grasshoppers last week during an informational meeting provided by Park County Weed and Pest and the University at the University Research Extension Center in Powell. The meeting was poorly attended, however, and Bob Parsons said it is important that the public is aware of the problem.

“People need to know that, if they had (grasshoppers) last year, they'll have more this year,” said Parsons, supervisor of Park County Weed and Pest.

Parsons said people often don't realize there is a problem until its too late.

“It's hard to get people to commit to dealing with them, because we don't usually see hoppers in Park County,” he said.

In addition, residents often don't know the grasshoppers are around until they reach their full growth late in the summer. But the insects do most of the damage during their growth, which begins in the spring.

“We get all the calls in July and August when people see the big hoppers, and by then it's too late,” Parsons said.

“People need to look for the hoppers in their early stages. If you wait until you see hoppers flying, you've already lost 50 percent of your forage, and treatment will be more expensive.”

Attacking the problem early in the year can prevent such heavy damage, according to Parsons. There is a bigger choice of chemicals available, and the treatment can be done more cheaply when it is carried out early in the season. In addition, cost sharing may be available with early planning.

Schell said the grasshoppers typically lay their eggs on the borders of cropland, and treating ditch rows and barrow pits early “can solve a lot of problems.”

Parsons said Weed and Pest will do “whatever people want and whatever we can afford,” but farmers and others with large plots needing treatment must plan ahead if his department is to provide the most effective help so insecticides and other treatments can be purchased.

“We need to know within the next two or three months if we're going to do anything more than small plots,” Parsons said. “Otherwise, we will be limited to having stuff on hand, and there will be no cost share.”

Schell said he believes the state can expect grasshopper problems for another two years, depending on the weather, or until “something makes them crash.”

“In most areas, an infestation doesn't persist more than two years,” Schell said.

Parsons encouraged farmers and others to plan now to combat the grasshoppers and said they should contact Park County Weed and Pest for more information.