Possible to have grasshoppers without seeing them?

6 years ago

We've only seen one this year but my summer crops have been attacked by something that seems just like grasshoppers. They have eaten my shishitos and all my chile plants, leaving some looking like sticks, and killed off every cucumber I planted but left my tomatoes and Japanese eggplants alone. I plant in raised planters and where the planters are near grass or native trees, the damage is worse. I used diatomaceous earth to keep the assumed grasshoppers off the chiles and it worked somewhat.

My question is - is it possible to have a grasshopper infestation without seeing any grasshopper?

Featured Answer

digdirt2

6 years ago

I doubt you could have an infestation of them without seeing them but sure, you could easily have some. They can be good at hiding, staying still, and still eating unless you stir them up with movement. Running your hands over the plants, brushing through the rows as you walk through, etc. gets them to move so you can see them and pick them up - if you are fast enough. ;-)

But they are not the only possible pest doing the damage and others -like the many various caterpillars - are often even better at hiding.

Dave

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Comments (10)

wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
6 years ago
I wonder about that too. Something eats on broccoli leaves. I rarely catch the grasshoppers there, but I have caught them before.
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Xochitl
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
digdirt2 I have had caterpillars on other plants, but never on chiles, like my shishito, poblanos and habaneros, eating some of the plants until they are sticks and die. I do check plants to see if there is anything on them and never found any caterpillars or grasshoppers or anything else I could see that was causing the damage. Whatever it is, it can also get up on my outdoor tables where I keep my trays of seedlings. The diatomaceous earth did work somewhat, especially with my shishitos.

I may try to aim a camera and see what I catch...
vgkg Z-7 Va
6 years ago
A couple of weeks ago my fall carrot seeds were popping up one day and gone the next, traced the culprits down to being teeny tiny little grasshoppers which were well camouflaged brown against the background soil. Today most of my carrots are gone while the remaining grasshoppers are big and fat. This seems to happen during long dry spells which apparently the GHers like.
Xochitl thanked vgkg Z-7 Va
Happy Hill Farm
6 years ago
I have lots of grasshoppers around me, especially in the soybean fields. I never have linked any damage to them in the garden. Could it be flea beatles? I have flea beatles and they cause a lot of leaf damage and are difficult to catch in the act as they move quickly.
Xochitl
Original Author
6 years ago
OMG! I set up my nest cam and last night we caught it! It was a rat!!! I have a clip from the video but not sure I can post it. Grrrrrrrrrrr!
Xochitl
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Okay, figured out how to post a clip of the rat eating my pepper. Unbelievable. For me at least. I've been growing shishitos and other peppers for years and this year, they decide to eat them?
Rat eating my shishito pepper

They come back, btw, and snap off the other branch, too.
vgkg Z-7 Va
6 years ago
I've dealt with several types of 4 legged critters eating my veggies but never had a rat problem. Time to set out traps for those nasty varmits.
Happy Hill Farm
6 years ago
Great video. You'd never believe that if you didn't see it.
jenswrens
6 years ago
Oh my gosh! That is incredible. Great video. Sneaky little guys.