Grasshoppers taking a bite out of Prairie crops after extreme heat

A research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says 2023 is the worst year for grasshoppers she has seen in more than two decades.

Meghan Vankosky, who is also co-chair of the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network, says it’s not just the number of grasshoppers – she says crops aren’t necessarily growing very well and so damage is more noticeable.

Vankosky says higher temperatures this year have allowed the insects to fly early, allowing them to reach new food sources.

She says they tend to prefer cereals like oats, wheat, rye, and barley, but during a drought, they’ll eat anything they can find.