The grasshopper forecast for the County of Grande Prairie’s 2024 season has been released by the Government of Alberta.
Each year, the Provincial Agriculture Department conducts grasshopper counts in the late summer to get estimates of adult grasshopper density in the county to help indicate the number of reproductive grasshoppers for the next year.
According to the province, grasshoppers are considered a major pest of cultivated crops and rangeland grasses throughout Alberta.
The province says typically, the majority of grasshopper damage occurs to cereal grains; however other crops can be seriously affected. As a result, crop producers are encouraged to scout and monitor their fields for pests and consider implementing control measures as needed.
Additionally, the province says even a moderate infestation of ten grasshoppers per square metre can consume up to 60 per cent of the available forage depending on conditions.
Hot spots for the 2024 year include East of Elmworth, Southeast of Webster, and Northeast of Teepee Creek.
