Grasshoppers are chewing insects of the family Acrididae with large hind legs for jumping. In North America the damaging species are mostly Melanoplus spp. They hatch in spring from egg pods laid in undisturbed soil and feed through summer. Outbreaks follow warm, dry years.
In practice
Damage on outdoor cannabis is ragged holes and missing leaf margins, sometimes stripped seedlings. Grasshoppers move in from field edges, ditches and rangeland, so the edge rows suffer first. For a small grow, hand-picking in cool mornings when they are sluggish, fine netting, and keeping grass mowed near the garden are practical. Poultry and wild birds take many. On large areas, baits based on the microsporidian Nosema locustae (now often named Paranosema locustae) are a biological option aimed at young nymphsbeing reviewed. Indoor growers can ignore them. Check what is registered for cannabis locally.
Don't confuse with
- Caterpillar damage: similar holes, but look for frass and larvae on the plant.
- Leafhoppers: tiny sap feeders that jump but do not chew holes.
- Hail damage: shredded leaves across the whole crop at once.
