Locusts have invaded the Sacramento area, and there have been increasing reports of “unusual” insect activity.
“Over the past week, West Placer, Roseville and Lincoln have received an increase in reports of unusual locust activity,” Placer County said in a Thursday news release.
This is “far above and beyond what we’ve seen in Placer County,” said Josh Huntsinger, the county’s director of agricultural parks and resources.
Here’s what you need to know about the locust plague.
What types of locusts are we seeing in the Sacramento area?
The locusts spotted in parts of Placer County are short-horned locusts.
The jumping insects are green, olive, brown and brown, which helps them camouflage, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
They are about ½ to 1 inch long, although some specimens can grow as long as 3 inches.
Nymphs, or young grasshoppers, emerge from the ground in late spring, according to the provincial release. They shed their skin five times in a two-month period before becoming winged, flying adult grasshoppers.
The locusts eat lettuce, beans, corn, carrots, onions and some annual flowers, the release said.
However, the insects tend to leave tomatoes and squash alone.
Why do residents see more locusts?
Grasshoppers are simply looking for food, Huntsinger said.
“When conditions are favorable, such as warm, moist springs that produce abundant food, populations can increase dramatically,” the province said in the news release, noting that locusts can venture into neighborhoods and landscaped areas in search of food.
“When the vegetation on the agricultural land dries up, the locusts all migrate to people’s gardens,” he said.
“Landscape plants can be an attractive food source for grasshoppers,” the release said, although damage to the garden is usually limited to a few weeks.
Are locust plagues common?
Most of the time, the province said, locusts go “unnoticed.”
“Serious outbreaks occur only every eight to 10 years and can last for several years,” county officials said in the release.
How can you prevent insects from eating your plants?
“Once large numbers of grasshoppers are present on residential landscaping, control options are very limited,” Placer County said.
However, residents can try a few things to prevent locusts from devouring their gardens or yards:
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Protect individual plants by covering them with screens or cloths.
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Screen your most desirable plants and leave other plants for the grasshoppers to eat.
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Remove insects manually by raking or sweeping, and place the insects in a bag for disposal.
When will the insect plague end?
“There is no projected time frame for how long this locust infestation may last,” provincial officials said in the release.
You can learn more about pests and how to control them by calling Placer County Master Gardeners at 530-889-7388 or submitting a questionnaire through the group’s website, pcmg.ucanr.edu/Got_Questions.
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