West Poised for Worst Grasshopper Outbreak in 30 Years

[lynnf]

http://www.livescience.com/animals/grasshopper-invasion-100526.html

...
If last summer's adults were successful during mating season, then the worst grasshopper infestation in 30 years could strike ranches and agricultural land in the Great Plains states between late July and early August, said Roeland Elliston of the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in Fort Collins, Colo., who worked on the survey.

...

[Bruno]

Hopefully they don't cause too much damage. Here's an interesting story about Grasshopper Glacier and how they are studying it to understand locust swarms.

http://flying-insects.suite101.com/article.cfm/grasshopper_glacier_in_custer_national_forest

[MozoVote]

I drove through Montana once during "grasshopper season" in early September. Practically coated the front of my car with 'hopper remains.

[ninepointfive]

lets eat them!!!

j/k

[MelissaWV]

I drove through Montana once during "grasshopper season" in early September. Practically coated the front of my car with 'hopper remains.


Lots of regions have similar pests.

At least lovebugs don't eat crops...

http://susansternberg.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/lovebugs.jpg


This species' reputation as a public nuisance is due not to any bite or sting (it is incapable of either), but to its slightly acidic body chemistry. Their body chemistry has a neutral 6.5 pH. After splattering this juice may become acidic at 4.25 pH after baking in the sunlight for a day.

Because airborne lovebugs can exist in enormous numbers near highways, they die en masse on automobile windshields, hoods, and radiator grills when the vehicles travel at high speeds. If left for more than an hour or two, the remains become dried and extremely difficult to remove. In the past, the acidity of the dead adult body, especially the female's egg masses, often resulted in pits and etches in automotive paint and chrome if not quickly removed.