Grasshoppers are munching on my neps!!!!!!

[plantlover]

The title says it all: Grasshoppers are munching on my neps!!!!!!

I hate them hate them HATE THEM!!!!!!

Now my plants are full of holes. One of my pitcher is even chewed in half. Some of my neps leaves are no more, except for the middle part which connects to the pitcher.

How can I repel or kill these evil insects before they swarm like locusts and munch my plants to death?

 

[prmills]

Pick them off and feed them to your dew's and neps? I'm not sure about chemicals.

 

[seedjar]

Buy some fiberglass window screen and fence them in? Sounds awful.
~Joe

 

[plantlover]

But they are so fast.

 

[prmills]

When I was doing custodial work, we had these aerosol cans that froze stuff, I don't remember what they were called. We used it to freeze gum to make it easy to come off. It works with grasshoppers and other insects to 'slow' them down. Also dipping them in floor wax 'slows' them down too, don't ask how I know though... What results from this I am not liable for

Seriously though, I'd go with picking them off, you'll eventually get them all.

 

[Presto]

looking through the pictures on your blog, I think seedjar has the right idea. Some sort of screen or mesh netting to keep them out.

I think I would try out mosquito netting. Maybe you could even find some that's been treated with permethrin or somesuch.

 

[plantlover]

Maybe I'll just have to manually squish them. I can't afford other options.

 

[back2eight]

I have problems with them in the summer. I have never found a way to keep them under control, but keeping the plants inside a greenhouse helps.

 

[Indigo]

Hmmm... I would use something to keep them high above the ground level. I had a 36 inch bog garden outside on a old tea table stand. never had any grosshopper problem but birdzilla >__>

 

[dvg]

You could use neem oil against the hoppers. It is non-toxic and is an anti-feedant/anti-breedant for a lot of insects, and has been used successfully against insects for centuries in India.

Do a search on 'neem oil and grasshoppers' or just on 'neem oil' and there will be some links to read over.

Here are a couple:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5799911_rid-grasshoppers-organically.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8MsIpkqZuI


Or you could turn the tables on those grasshoppers, and use them as breeding stock to feed to your bigger Neps. Breeding grasshoppers has certain advantages over cricket feeders, especially if you also use them as feeder insects for reptiles.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5782797_breed-grasshoppers.html

 

[plantlover]

I will feed my neps those pesky grasshopper if I catch one. I think the condition is growing better, as I have not seen any grasshoppers in a few days.

 

[dvg]

Ahhh, that's good to hear that those pesky critters are leaving your prized Nepenthes alone now. Hoppers can do a lot of damage if they arrive with any number to them.

 

[plantlover]

Luckily only 2-3 attacked my neps.