Grasshopper Control Without Killing Beneficial Insects
Dale shows how to use a naturally occurring protozoan parasite called Nosema locusta to control grasshoppers without broad-spectrum insecticides. Learn how this disease spreads through grasshopper populations and why it's a safer alternative that keeps your beneficial insects alive.
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0:00 [Music]
0:13 Most insect pests in agriculture can be prevented with adequate diversity. The exception to that rule is when you have.
0:26 What we call generalist feeders plant. They're insects that eat just about everything. One of those is grasshoppers so no.
0:35 No matter how much diversity you get, grasshoppers always seem to be a problem because they eat everything. Doesn't matter what you plant out there, they're
0:44 Probably going to eat on it so a method of controlling grasshoppers is pretty important and the problem with just going out and indiscriminately spraying.
0:56 For grasshoppers with a broad-spectrum insecticide is that you also kill all the beneficial insects and kill your honeybees, your pollinators, your
1:06 Predatory insects and so having a means to control generalist feeders like grasshoppers in particular can be pretty important and what I have here this is a
1:18 Dead grasshopper that was killed by the disease Nosema locusta. It's a protozoan parasite that naturally-occurring and can kill grasshoppers. It turns them.
1:48 Spread spores of this disease and we have the ability to put those spores into a feed stuff that grasshoppers really like to eat like wheat bran.
2:02 Then spread that infected brand. After the grasshoppers eat it in about three or four weeks they die of the protozoan parasite and because
2:13 Grasshoppers tend to be cannibalistic. They will eat their dead comrades. Disease will spread and will actually persist for quite some time once you.
2:24 Spread that initial and so I just thought I'd point out this caramel color grasshopper that's dead at the top of one of these stems. That's what killed it, and this is our key to controlling grasshoppers without spraying a broad-spectrum insecticide. This parasite only affects grasshoppers and crickets, so it's very, very safe to use. It has very few off-target effects, if any. It's a way of just taking out your pests and leaving all your good insects alone.