Grasshoppers are common insects found worldwide, known for their powerful hind legs that enable impressive leaps and distinctive sounds some species produce. They are primarily herbivorous, meaning their diet consists of plant matter. This influences their interaction with various plants, including those in gardens.
Do Grasshoppers Eat Flowers?
Grasshoppers consume flowers, making them a concern for gardeners. As opportunistic feeders, they readily eat petals and other tender parts of flowers. This feeding behavior can result in noticeable damage, including chewing holes in flower petals or even the complete defoliation of blooms. In severe infestations, grasshoppers may strip entire flower buds, preventing plants from flowering altogether.
They often target young, succulent plant tissues, making newly emerging flowers particularly vulnerable. While many flower types can be affected, some, like coreopsis and sunflowers, are noted as favorites. The extent of damage depends on factors such as the grasshopper species present, the specific flowers grown, and local environmental conditions.
What Else Do Grasshoppers Eat?
Beyond flowers, grasshoppers exhibit a broad herbivorous diet, consuming various plant parts. Their primary food sources include grasses and the leaves of numerous plants. They are generalist feeders, adapting their diet to what is abundant and available in their habitat.
Their diet also includes stems and seeds. They frequently feed on cereal crops such as wheat, corn, oats, barley, and rye. Many vegetable garden plants are susceptible, including lettuce, carrots, beans, onions, cabbage, kale, and sweet corn. When preferred food sources are scarce, grasshoppers may eat weeds, shrubs, or the tender leaves and shoots of young trees. Some grasshopper species are omnivorous, consuming animal tissue or carrion when plant matter is limited.
Protecting Your Flowers
Protecting flowers from grasshopper damage involves a combination of methods to deter these insects. Physical barriers such as fine-mesh netting or row covers can be draped over vulnerable plants. For more persistent grasshoppers who can chew through cloth, metal window screening can provide a more robust defense. Ensuring these barriers are tightly sealed at the base prevents grasshoppers from finding entry points.
Manual removal of grasshoppers by hand-picking is effective for small infestations. Encouraging natural predators also helps manage grasshopper populations. Many bird species, including horned larks and kestrels, consume grasshoppers; attracting them with bird feeders, water sources, and nesting habitats provides biological control. Other natural enemies include:
- Chickens
- Guinea hens
- Wasps
- Ground beetles
- Spiders
- Toads
- Parasitic flies
Cultural practices also play a role in prevention. Keeping garden areas free of weeds and plant debris reduces hiding spots and food sources. Maintaining healthy soil and plants through proper irrigation and fertilization makes them more resilient to feeding damage. Tilling garden soil in the fall exposes grasshopper eggs to harsh weather and predators, disrupting their life cycle.
For persistent issues, low-impact deterrents can be applied. Neem oil acts as an anti-feedant and disrupts grasshopper growth when sprayed on plants. Natural sprays made from garlic or hot peppers deter grasshoppers due to their strong scents. Diatomaceous earth, a fine powder, can be sprinkled on plants to cause physical damage to grasshoppers upon contact. Biological baits containing Nosema locustae, a protozoan specific to grasshoppers, can be used early in the season to infect young nymphs, offering targeted control.