Barbara,

I've found the blister beetle population at our place cycles up and down along with the grasshopper population, very similar to the predator-prey relationship between coyotes and cottontail rabbits.

In general I avoid harming the blister beetles because in my garden they do less damage than the grasshoppers. I'd rather have them eating grasshopper eggs than have grasshoppers eating everything. Having said that, I haven't seen many blister beetles yet, though I have tons of grasshoppers.

When I found 6 to 8 blister beetles this morning on the handful of producing pickling cukes that have survived the spider mites, I did hit them with both a pyrethrin/canola oil spray and with neem. I stood there with a bottle in each hand and sprayed both of them simultaneously directly on the beetles. I hope it killed them. However, I am not going to walk around the garden looking for more to kill. These blister beetles would have been ignored if they all were not feeding in the same area, which was about an 8" x 8" area that included two cucumbers I wanted to pick. I wouldn't have noticed them, most likely, had they not been sitting right there in front of my face while I was picking cucumbers to bring inside for pickling.

Otherwise I've seen them on tomatoes and beans and ignored them. If there was much of anything else that ate grasshopper eggs, I'd kill the blister beetles, but there really isn't, so most years the blister beetles are the lesser of two evils.

If I had them at the levels George and Larry have had them this year, I likely would have sprayed with a pesticide like they did. Luckily, I've never had to make that choice.

As the drought deepens and the temps heat up even more in the next few weeks, I'm sure we'll be discussing blister beetles and grasshoppers a lot more.

And, if I grew alfalfa or hay crops for horses, I'd likely be fighting the blister beetles with every weapon available because of their toxicity to horses.

With the grasshoppers, I don't really think it matters what I do because even if I manage to kill them, more fly in daily from the adjacent range land. Last year I used EcoBran and found it highly effective. It is a wheat bran bait laced with 2% Sevin, and it was the first time I've used Sevin since moving here in 1999. When I first saw EcoBran on the website of Planet Natural, which normally sells organic remedies, I was shocked and thought it was something I'd never buy. After having grasshoppers strip my tomato plants down to bare stems in 2010, I changed my mind. Because the EcoBran is in a bait versus being broadcast-sprayed, it only affects the insects that eat it. That certainly made it a more attractive option to me because I would prefer to never spray Sevin in my garden. I'm not saying I'll never, ever spray Sevin, just that I'd rather not and so far I haven't. Anyhow, the EcoBran was highly effective on the hoppers last year when they reached epidemic numbers. I haven't used it this year, and don't know that I will, but I like the security of having a bucket of it in my garden shed.

Our chickens are eating as many hoppers a day as they can, but most of our hens that survived last year's insane heat are banties, so they sure don't eat as many hoppers as larger hens and guineas do.

What we really need is a wet, wet spring and summer like 2004 or 2007, but who knows how long it will be before that sort of weather happens again. I'm hoping for a wet year next year, but that sure doesn't mean it will happen.

I normally scatter Nolo Bait or Semaspore around the garden when I see grasshoppers at the nymph stage, but I didn't see enough tiny hoppers in April or May to justify the expense. In June, though, we suddenly had little hoppers hatching out everywhere. By then, it was too hot for the nosema locuste to be very effective, so I didn't make a run down to Denton to buy some. I just figured if the hoppers reached hugely damaging levels, I'd put out Ecobran. So far, I haven't seen enough damage to warrant doing so. That's not to say we don't have grasshopper damage. They are everywhere and are doing tons of damage. I think they are really bad at our place but then.....

When we have gone out on grass fires to places both south and north of us I have seen fields with at least 4 times as many hoppers as we have on our place, so that leads me to think that either the nosema locuste's residual effect is still pretty high from past years, or something on our propery--maybe the wild birds and chickens--are controlling them. I do think as fields continue to dry out more, those rangeland hoppers will migrate to greener areas like my yard and garden, and if they do, I'll deal with them them if I need to.

I believe, based on reports here on this forum since April, that hoppers are much worse so far in northern, eastern and northeastern OK than they are here in southcentral OK. That makes sense because southcentral OK is not quite as drought-plagued yet as most other parts of the state.

Dawn

Awesome. Excellent to know. Always hated blister beetles. Had no idea they might be one of Dawn's best friends (lol). You know, grasshopper haven over there in South Oklahoma.

bon

Bon,

If you think the hoppers are bad here, you should see how bad they are in Texas. I've linked a recent article about hoppers in North Texas, and they specifically mention Gainesville, which is across the Red River from us. It sounds like they have more there than we have here, so far. That is not a comforting thought because after the hoppers eat everything there, they'll likely head here.

The one guy who describes the hoppers eating his fruit right down to the stones reminds me of the summer of 2003 here when we had the same issue. Luckily, except for the main crop of figs (I've just harvested the breba crop), I've harvested all of our tree fruit already. If I see hoppers anywhere near my fig trees, I guess I'll protect the fruit by wrapping them in floating row cover.

Grasshoppers are always here, but in the hot, dry years they are present in numbers that sometimes are hard to believe. I see them with my own eyes, and even I cannot believe how many there are some summers. It actually is surprising to me that my garden withstands them and continues to produce as well as it does because there's not many plants in my garden whose foliage is not being eaten daily by grasshoppers.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: Grasshopper Outbreak in North Texas

That's incredible!

Excellent info and very timely for me. I've NEVER seen Blister Beetles until this morning. Before work, I walked out to look at the raised beds. I was admiring the blooms on my late planted Armenian cukes and something moved on the Swiss Chard....and it wasn't a grasshopper for a change. I snapped a pic and was going to search for identification but as always...all I need to do is drop in here!

I'm going to spray the late planted cukes & squashes with neem....but I don't care it they move on over to the tomatoes. I, too, am over-run with maters so I'll sacrifice them.

Paula

Paula,

I'm sorry to hear they are there. I've been watching Norman on the rainfall and KDBI maps and y'all are so dry there that I'm surprised you haven't had insane numbers of blister beetles and grasshoppers before now.

If neem doesn't do it for you, you can try spinosad. The bottle of spinosad in my shed now is sold as Monterey Garden Insect Spray. I'll link it below so that, if you are anyone else needs to buy some, you'll know what sort of bottle to look for. I bought the pint bottle shown at far left in photo and either found it in a Lowe's or Home Depot earlier this spring, or maybe in a nursery.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: Monterey Garden Insect Spray

Folks, these Blister Beetles truly are nasty little bandits. They leave ugly black droppings wherever they've been feeding. As for me, I'm going to try zone control as Dawn did keeping the plants I want, and sacrificing the others to them. The link I sent previously said for every blister beetle you see will mean around 25 grasshopper eggs eaten by them, and that sounds like a pretty good trade off.
Who knows when this drought and heat wave will end? From the news reports, the nations corn crops are in serious trouble. Not a good omen. And yes, it could mean more devastation from hoppers as they fly in looking for food.

I have wondered if there would ever be a resurrection of the locusts like they had in the historic Locust Plague of 1875. They were supposed to have gone extinct here in the US. I believe they still have locust plagues in Mexico, so I don't know what would keep them from crossing the border, and starting up here as well.

Back in the day.. over by Enid, when my late husband and I lived out in the country by Waukomis, we had a bad grasshopper year one year, when my son was about 5 months old, and one big old hopper jumped up and bit the baby on the ear making him cry and drawing blood.

Anyways, it was said during that 1875 plague that locusts were the only insect that had ever been fought with dynamite, lol! I know that's not really funny, but I can understand the angst of the farmers willing to try just about anything. And also that of the farmers now loosing their crops to this heat and drought. For some of us, the angst will begin at the check out line of the food store.

~Barb

Here is a link that might be useful: When the Sky Turned Black-the Locust Plague of 1875

Barb,

Talking about the locust hordes of the 1870s reminds me of reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's account of the locusts in at least one of the Little House on the Prairie books when I was a kid.

Even though the Rocky Mountain Locusts are believed to be extinct, we still have grasshoppers that morph into locusts and travel in swarms. The first time I ever saw an explanation of why/how this happens was in the journal "Science" in 2009, and it involved a study of the species of grasshopper known as the desert locust, which can morph from a green grasshopper to a brown locust under the right conditions. They discovered that increases in serotonin levels caused them to morph from grasshoppers into locusts. While it more often happens in other countries, especially in Africa and Asia, it still sometimes it happens in some of our more desert-like states like Utah and the desert-like portions of California. I think it happened somewhere either last year or the year before.

Plain old grasshoppers are bad enough. The last thing we need is for the hoppers to morph into locusts and start traveling in big hordes.

As for why it is less common nowadays for us to see them, I think it is because we do have some pesticides that control grasshoppers pretty well, especially in the younger instars. The real heavy-duty pesticides that make a big dent in the hopper population are not available to us plain old home gardeners, but licensed pesticide applicators can purchase and use them. During the last big hopper years here, a ranching friend/neighbor told me all I had to do was take a class and get licensed in order to be able to buy and use these pesticides, but being organic, I wasn't interested. And, if you compared his property which was sprayed with Dimlin more than once, to ours, which wasn't, we had less hoppers than him, so I am not convinced all the spraying he did on his rangeland even made a difference that was readily obvious to the naked eye.

I'll try and find and link some reference to that article. I've never forgotten it, because until then I don't think I really understood that grasshoppers could turn into locusts.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: Article That Discusses Desert Locusts

It's like good versus evil. It reminds me of a few human characters when they drink alcohol.

What is astounding is how they change colors. Amazing.

I have sprayed blister beetles 4 times in the past 3 years. I do feel they help keep my grasshopper count down, not that I am running low on grasshoppers. I have just spray 1 or 2 plants where they would swarm to. It seems that I do fairly well till the hay is baled around the house, then my insect count goes very high.

My sweet potatoes and peppers look very well now, even though I have a high grasshopper population. At this time the plants are growing much faster than the insects can eat them. The corn is finished and I may leave it for a while for grasshopper food, hoping to take some of the stress of the sweet potatoes and peppers.

Right now everything is doing well because of the 4"s of rain we have received, but that will change within two weeks without more rain. At that point I will have to adjust my thinking.

Larry

Sprayed with Neem and on my! They REALLY don't like that. Sprayed the one Cherry Tomatoe that was beside those that I don't want to loose. I think the rest will all come out in the wash. Right?

It sure tempts one to come out with the Big Guns of Sevin, doesn't it?

Paula

I've had lot of both for a few weeks now. More grasshoppers than last year, but thankfully, fewer blister beetles. Last year I could find up to twenty per plant....they destroyed whatever they touched. By the time I realized what was going on, their population was out of control. This year, I scan all the plants constantly to find them and kill them on sight, (while apologizing and feeling guilty because it's not a very vegan thing to do).

If grasshoppers are everywhere, my plants might get destroyed, but that would be it. With blister beetles, well, again, I have to think about my dogs.

So far the BBs haven't gone after my castor bean plants, but they've attacked everything else. They destroyed the only two peppers on my only red bell pepper plant. They wiped out a couple of parsley plants, decimated some flowers, and have been going after everything else.

As for the grasshoppers, I heard that they don't do well in moist conditions, so I've been watering after dark hoping that it's too dark for them to see to get away. Maybe they'll sicken and die. Also not very vegan, but I've been telling myself that it's their choice to stay or go and I can't be responsible for their decision.

Paula, Of course it is tempting. Quick fixes always are.

However, it is better overall to go with whatever hurts the beneficial insects the least...and I know that you know that. : )

Having said that, I would defend to the death anyone's right to use the pesticide of their choice, whether it is organic or synthetic in nature. Different strokes for different folks, and all that.

There are times when even the most ardent organic or mostly-organic gardener may find their back against the wall and decide to use a broad-spectrum chemical pesticide in order to save their plants and their crops. That's doubly true during extended drought. It is hard enough to keep a garden productive in a regular year with a regular pest load. Doing so in a very dry year which also is a year with generally high (in some cases, astronomically high), pest levels...well, it can be incredibly hard and sometimes impossibly hard. So, if someone feels the need to use Sevin or Malathion or whatever, I think they should do so after carefully weighing the risks, and I hope that no one here would make them feel like using a chemical solution was wrong or was a mistake or whatever.

I'm always going to prefer to garden as organically I as possibly can because that fits in with my desire to garden in a manner that is as sustainable as possible. However, if I felt like the only way I could save my garden from some sort of a major pest was by spraying it with a broad-spectrum pesticide, I just might make the decision to do so. Does that mean my philosophy has changed? No. It just means I find myself dealing with a pest for which organics do not offer a good solution.

You have no idea how much I have struggled this year with the idea that I could buy a bottle of bifenthrin or something "just this once" and spray it and wipe out the pests. What keeps me from doing it? The feeling I would be endangering pollinators and beneficials, for one. Still, if I felt I had to do it or risk losing the garden's harvest, I would do it. I also would not feel guilty afterwards. Even though I prefer to raise our veggies, fruits, herbs and flowers without the use of synthetic chemicals, I certainly don't buy only organic food at the grocery store. So, is it logical to hold my home-grown food to a higher standard 100% of the time? No. Sometimes I think I expect too much from myself in that respect. If I buy conventionally-grown strawberries at the grocery store, it is possible that maybe they were sprayed with various fungicides and pesticides multiple times during the life of the plant. So, even if mine were sprayed once with a chemical pesticide or fungicide, wouldn't mine still be much healthier than those raised conventionally? I don't think anyone here should have to feel bad about doing what they have to do to save their garden or a specific crop, or as far as that goes, to save their sanity.

If last summer's weather/climate, followed by this summer's weather/climate, is not enough to drive all of us stark raving mad from the frustration of trying to keep our landscapes and gardens pretty and productive, then what would it take?

Dawn

Blister Beetle Update - after dousing with a heavy dose of Neem last nite - good results. No, there were still a few but not near as many. The 3 I saw that were holding on were sluggish...and large. Must be the grandparents of the group. No further damage either to ANY of the plants, even the maters. I'm hopeful! (Just like a gardener, huh?)

These critters are on the east and north sides of our house garden area. I find NO hoppers in this area (good sign!). However, on the south and west of our house (and points beyond) the hoppers are awful. Think I could transplant a few blister beetles or will they move on that way on their own?

And Dawn, I absolutely agree with every gardener's option on what steps to take to insure a good harvest! Remember the year I tried SO hard to stay organic and found squash bugs?...which I promptly dusted with Sevin powder like it was a baby's butt. I was upset with myself for giving in, but I did manage to get a decent harvest which fed us and both daughters family's. One just has to weigh the options and go with what's best for them at that time.

That being said...this crazy Oklahoma gardening can drive one to crazy extremes!!! Normally it's summer squash that we are trying to put to good use...this year it's tomatoes!!! I've run out of plastic grocery bags (which are normally in excess at my house) giving away tomatoes!!! And we've eaten, canned and froze as many as we can...and they still keep producing!!!! And to think I thought I wouldn't have any this year. Can't thank you, Carol and the rest of my garden buddies enough for taking care of me this Spring Swap. You guys are THE BEST!!!

Paula

Paula, I think I'd transplant those blister beetles instead of depending on them to move on their own. I don't know if it will work, but maybe they'll stay in the area where you put them.

I do remember The Attack of the Squash Bugs followed by Paula's Sevin Revenge! Hey, whatever works. Veggie gardens are a lot more fun when they actually produce something, and sometimes a gardener's gotta do what a gardener's gotta do.

I think this is a great tomato year for a lot of us, if not for all, although the heat may bring it to an early end--or a mid-season stall.

You get the credit for raising the crop. All Carol and I did was ride in like the Tomato Calvary when disaster struck, with a load of plants carried by said calvary. That's what friends are for. All we did was put the tomatoes in your hands. You and Ken did all the rest. I'm glad that what started out as a dismal tomato year when your seedlings struggled has instead ended up being a great year. It just shows how much you can turn things around sometimes. As dry as it has been there in Norman, I think it is pretty wonderful that your garden is producing so well.

You're the best! The hostess with the mostest and, this year, the one with the tomatoes. I think it is funny you're out of plastic grocery bags. Like you, we usually have too many of them piled up, but I just put the bags full of bags in storage all year, waiting for summertime. They are wonderful for unloading excess produce on innocent, unsuspecting folks who have no idea what's lurking in those bags. (You can get rid of squash by hiding them under tomatoes in those bags!)

Dawn

My pleasure Paula. Growing those transplants wasn't nearly as hard as throwing that wonderful Spring Fling. Thanks for all you have done for the group. Carol

Ugh....so okay. The WAR is on. After a day of reprieve...they're back in numbers. AND the Squash bugs have found my late planted gems. I found the nymphs tonite.

Sevin powder it is! I ain't playin' because obviously, the critters mean serious destruction. And I mean serious control.

Dang it. If Mother Nature would just give ua a few options! But seriously, did any of our mother's give us options? It was either the way they KNEW it should be or pick your poison. Pun intended.

As any gardener says: "There's always next year!".....

I'm just frustrated by time and weather contraints.

Paula, I look at your weather when I check mine on the mesonet, and y'all are too dry there in Norman and not nearly green enough. As hot and dry as it is there, I'm surprised your garden is still growing and doing so well. I think that's why the bugs are flocking to your little green oasis.

Good luck with those things.

I believe Mother Nature is going through Menopause, and having lots of hot flashes....and a cranky attitude to go with it. Every summer seems hotter and drier than summers used to be. When do we get to have a cooler and wetter summer?

I know there's always next year (we hope!) but I'd like to have a nice this year once in a while too.

Go ahead and show those squash bugs and blister beetles a little toughlove, well....without the love.

Dawn