Phillips County Has Every Pesty Hopper That There Is

As far as grasshoppers go, they have come hand in hand with the drought that Phillips County has been experiencing over the past few summers.

According to Murphy there are 400 species of grasshoppers and only 12 species are considered pests; Phillips County has all 12 of the past species.

“Unfortunately, grasshoppers like to hit when everybody has a good crop going or when they are getting ready to cut again,” Murphy said. “They will get a first cutting to beat the grasshoppers to it and then they will get a second cutting grown and a lot of times later in the fall, the grasshoppers will come back through and hit it again.”

She said that some places will get hit harder depending on location.

Sadly, she said that even though rain is a great thing for the crops and cattle, it does not stop grasshoppers.

“Rain will not stop the grasshoppers,” Murphy said. “In order to stop the grasshoppers, first we have to have a severe freeze for multiple days, to where it gets down to where those grasshoppers are at, in the soil.”

Over the years, the Phillips County Extension Office has been meeting with producers in discussing ways to mitigate the hoppers. This year, Murphy and the office hosted the 2024 Grasshopper Management Workshop on Thursday, January 25, at the Phillips County Library.

The following is an excerpt from Murphy’s press release sent to the PCN after the event.

“We had over 60 people present at the event, which was a great turnout,” Murphy said in her press release. “To start the evening, I presented the importance of handling pesticides with the utmost caution. It is always important to read the label to make sure that what you are spraying is on it. As well as making sure your personal protective equipment (PPE) is correct and working properly. I also mentioned ‘having a copy of the label of the pesticide you are using in case of an emergency. The doctor will have an easier time treating you if they know what they are up against.’ Be sure to always wash your machinery, clothing, and hands after using pesticides. We don’t want to take them home to our families or animals.”