It's a good year for grasshoppers

A wet spring in 2011 set the stage for a grasshopper invasion in 2012, according to a story on KNVN News, the NBC affiliate in Northern California.

"Last year was a nice wet year, lots of feed. We had a chance for the population to build up. They lay eggs in the fall, those hatch in the spring so we got a lot more hoppers this year," said Joe Connell, UC Cooperative Extension advisor and county director in Butte County.

Grasshoppers can strip vegetable crops and vegetable gardens, Connell said. One of the best ways to protect the garden is to have a lush, green grassy area separate from the garden.

"You can either spray with a carbaryl insecticide or bait it with grasshopper bait, which can control their population," Connell said.

Gardeners who don't want to use insecticides can try buying chickens or guinea hens to keep grasshoppers under control.

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