CLOSED: grasshopper

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
sanpedro Espanola, NM(Zone 6b) Jul 02, 2009

We have a plague of hoppers this year. I noticed this on one and I'm hoping it's contagious. Does anyone know what's going on here?

Thumbnail by sanpedro
Post #6766592
Quote
suunto Sinks Grove, WV Jul 02, 2009

The red objects are mites, possibly in the family Trombiculidae. The nymphs commonly attach at the bases of the grasshoppers' wings (see http://tinyurl.com/ld8znr), where they feed (reportedly, the mites have little if any effect on the grasshoppers). When mature, they drop off and seek out the underground egg pods of the grasshoppers, where they will feed on and destroy the eggs therein. Unfortunately, they do not appear to have a significant impact on grasshopper populations.

Post #6767202
Quote
sanpedro Espanola, NM(Zone 6b) Jul 02, 2009

Well, darn it! Thanks for the information, though. A couple of years ago I had a parasitic wasp attack the tomato hornworms and pretty much wipe them out. I was hoping something like that might be the case here. It used to be grasshoppers had a cycle of 5 or 6 years, but with the warm winters and the birds pretty much gone, they are a constant threat.

Post #6770016
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Insect and Spider Identification Threads

Go to all Insect and Spider Identification threads
BACK TO TOP