# Grasshoppers!!!



## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

My peaches didn't do anything this year, last year we got bushels but the late frosts this year pretty much wiped them out.

The few peaches(very few) that did survive the cold were eaten down to the seed by grasshoppers when the weather got hot and dry. They ate the flesh right down to the seed and left the seeds hanging on the trees.

Took a picture of a few of the seeds left hanging.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

:eyebulge:  
We had a minor grasshopper outbreak this year, such a shame when they take one bite at the base of a plant and the whole thing dies. Luckily we have a really healthy bird population, especially blue birds for grasshoppers.


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

Chickens and ducks will eat a lot of them too.


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## bugoutbob (Nov 11, 2012)

They're tasty fried in oil with a little sea salt on them.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

bugoutbob said:


> They're tasted fried in oil with a little sea salt on them.


I haven't gotten that hungry yet but the options still on the table!



mosquitomountainman said:


> Chickens and ducks will eat a lot of them too.


We're going to get chickens soon but it would mean keeping them out of the garden so going to have to work that out first.

The neighbors yard birds did enough damage to the garden last fall that I'm being careful to get the safeguards in place first.


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## SouthCentralUS (Nov 11, 2012)

bugoutbob said:


> They're tasted fried in oil with a little sea salt on them.


Now you've done it!! Davearm will be canning them.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

SouthCentralUS said:


> Now you've done it!! Davearm will be canning them.


Is that a challenge?

I wonder if you would cold pack em or deep fry em first!


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

They have been trying to destroy my wife's honeysuckle. The chickens get them near/on the ground, but the dang hoppers know to stay up high. If I scare them out and they land on the grass, then they are dinner.

I looked an an old John Deere/Van Brunt grain drill I saw off the highway.... hoppers were about 100 to the square yard! Just insane!!


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## catsraven (Jan 25, 2010)

They ate my beans! Chickens will too.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

I'm interested in the areas you live.
I haven't seen a hopper in a very long time.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

We have giant ones come here every year, they don't eat many veggy's but they are loved by the chickens. They do eat some of the ornamentals but they always survive them.

Our problem is powdery mildew and amphids . This year was was rain. Going to try mostly containers this fall except greens in raised beds outside.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

JayJay said:


> I'm interested in the areas you live.
> I haven't seen a hopper in a very long time.


Do you live above the "Tree Line"? lol

In North Texas(here anyway), in bad years they will gnaw the varnish off wooden handles of garden tools, eat the leaves and bark off trees and they have even eaten holes in window screens(non metal types). If those things ever swarmed like they do in Australia or other parts of the world we'd be destroyed.

Sometimes you can walk through the cow pastures and they look like dust clouds blowing in the wind.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

You know a joke was made about canning Grasshoppers, but I wonder....


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

camo2460 said:


> You know a joke was made about canning Grasshoppers, but I wonder....


I know it was a joke but I'm gonna deep fry some and try it, take it to the Meet-Up and see if anyone will be brave enough to try em.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

Davarm said:


> I know it was a joke but I'm gonna deep fry some and try it, take it to the Meet-Up and see if anyone will be brave enough to try em.


Take the legs off of them, better that way. Try them with either a spicy mayo/chipotle dip, horseradish or chocolate.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Lake Windsong said:


> Take the legs off of them, better that way. Try them with either a spicy mayo/chipotle dip, horseradish or chocolate.


What about the wings, should I remove them as well?

When I catch them should I cage them for a while to let em "poop" out everything they have in the digestive tract?

I have a feeling this is going to be a one time deal for me so dont want to mess it up and have to do it all over again. lol


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## carolexan (Dec 28, 2010)

I have eaten fried grasshoppers before and even some dipped in chocolate. Honestly they will go down better if you removed the legs, wings and antenna. Your idea of caging them sounds like a winner to me. The ones I ate were battered and that helped I am sure.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

carolexan said:


> I have eaten fried grasshoppers before and even some dipped in chocolate. Honestly they will go down better if you removed the legs, wings and antenna. Your idea of caging them sounds like a winner to me. The ones I ate were battered and that helped I am sure.


Sounds like what I was going to post.


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