California

California
California is within:
Country:	United States

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State ecology

California is located on the west coast of the United States. The ecology of California is exceptionally diverse, shaped by its wide range of climates, elevations, and geographic features. The state includes deserts, mountains, forests, wetlands, grasslands, chaparral, and a long, varied coastline. Grasshoppers in California represent a diverse and ecologically significant group of insects found across these wide ranges of habitats, from deserts and grasslands to coastal scrublands and mountainous regions. Grasshoppers play a vital role as primary herbivores, feeding on grasses and other plants, and in turn serving as prey for birds, reptiles, and other animals. Their presence can indicate the health of rangelands and natural ecosystems. However, in some years, particularly those with hot, dry conditions and mild winters, grasshopper populations can surge and cause significant damage to crops such as alfalfa, lettuce, and wheat.

Species gallery

• Highlighted species for California
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  Red-shanked grasshopper (Xanthippus corallipes)
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  Two-striped mermiria grasshopper (Mermiria bivittata)
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  Pronotal range grasshopper (Cratypedes neglectus)
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  Trailside grasshopper (Lactista gibbosus)
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  San Diego camel cricket (Ceuthophilus hesperus)
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  Slender meadow katydid (Conocephalus fasciatus)
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  Oedaleonotus tenuipennis
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  Large-headed grasshopper (Phoetaliotes nebrascensis)
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  Slow mountain grasshopper (Bradynotes obesa)
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  Packard grasshopper (Melanoplus packardii)
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  Apollo shieldback katydid (Idiostatus apollo)
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  California band-winged grasshopper (Trimerotropis californica)
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  Western spotted-winged grasshopper (Cordillacris occipitalis)
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  Chaparral monkey grasshopper (Morsea californica)
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  Red-legged grasshopper (Melanoplus femurrubrum)
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  Desert clicker grasshopper (Ligurotettix coquilletti)

Species of management concern

California is home to over 200 grasshopper species, but only a small number pose serious threats to gardens. Among the most common and damaging are the devastating grasshopper (Melanoplus devastator) and the valley grasshopper (Oedaleonotus enigma), both known for their wide distribution and destructive feeding habits.

M. devastator is consistently found on rangelands in California’s coastal and Sierra Nevada foothills, varying in size from year to year. When their numbers surge to outbreak levels, they can cause substantial damage to the land.

As in other rangeland ecosystems, grasshopper communities in California’s foothills are made up of multiple species. M. devastator is often the most abundant, coexisting with species like O. enigma, the clear-winged grasshopper (Camnula pellucida), Dissosteira pictipennis, and others. In areas less suited to the devastating grasshopper, different species become dominant. For example, C. pellucida is typically most common in montane grasslands, while O. enigma tends to dominate in valley and lower foothill areas. Although M. devastator sometimes migrate into crop fields in these lower areas, they do not establish long-term populations there, and the reason remains unclear.

View U.S. Grasshopper Forecast Hazard Maps

Grasshopper management

Poison baits, barriers, sacking (covering trees or vines), furrowing, plowing, burning breeding grounds, and running through fields to scare winged grasshoppers are all examples of recommended management practices in the 1900s.

"Hopper-dozer" used in 1900s to trap grasshoppers

Smudge fires along the windward edge of fields in need of protection was a popular means of control. These fires were intended to produce thick smoke, which would then be directed across the fields to form a protective barrier. To enhance the density of the smoke, small amounts of sulfur were periodically added to the burning piles.

Another notable method was using the 'hopper-dozer' which was considered effective for controlling grasshoppers on breeding grounds in the early 1900s. The device consisted of shallow galvanized iron pans filled with crude oil, which was kept in place by a cloth layer, to prevent it from spilling. Positioned about a foot in front of the pans was a light pole, which dragged along the ground to scare the grasshoppers. As the grasshoppers jumped to avoid the pole, they would land in the pans, becoming coated with oil. Although many grasshoppers would manage to leap out of the pans, the oil typically caused their death. A large number would perish in the pans themselves. It was found to be most effective when several hopper-dozers were used in succession. Under favorable conditions, a single pass could eliminate a significant portion of the grasshopper population, though the operation was often repeated for more thorough control.

Men with hoes clearing a line through the grass before starting a fire.

Today in California, grasshopper management is primarily overseen by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), which works alongside the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to monitor and control grasshopper populations. They collaborate on pest management strategies to prevent outbreaks that could damage crops and rangeland. Additionally, county agricultural commissioners may also be involved in local monitoring and management efforts, often in partnership with landowners and farmers.

Efforts include monitoring grasshopper populations, conducting surveys, and implementing control measures such as the use of pesticides in the form of baits and sprays, and other integrated pest management (IPM) strategies to mitigate the impact on agriculture and ecosystems. Local agricultural extension offices and researchers from universities, such as the University of California, also play a role in grasshopper research and providing advice on effective management practices.

Featured resource

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  Grasshoppers in California

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Outbreaks

New York Times 1877, Grasshoppers in California "too late to harm wheat".

The devastating grasshopper, M. devastator has a history of troubling agriculture in California. In 1722 there are records from Spanish settlers of damage caused by this species. In 1855 severe damage occurred in California, Oregon, and Washington through the migration of this grasshopper. For a list of orthoptera outbreaks see page 19 and 20 of Woodworth 1902.

The last widespread outbreak occurred between 1955 and 1961, with yearly infestations affecting between 580,000 and 4,523,000 acres. Since that period, outbreaks have remained smaller, impacting fewer than 500,000 acres annually.

On June 13, 1957, large numbers of the devastating grasshopper nymphs moved through Alameda and Butte counties in California. Another notable event took place between July 25 and August 8, 1957, when a remarkable adult migration was observed at the California Range Experiment Station in Hopland.

In 2022, California growers reported unusually dense grasshopper populations, particularly of the Clear-winged grasshopper (''Camnula pellucida''), with up to 100 small nymphs per square foot developing into adults within two months. Adult densities reached approximately 60 per square yard, causing significant crop damage in California and Oregon.

Organizations

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Resources

Name	Year published	Resource link	Descriptive keyword	Language	Author
APHIS regulatory documents	2018		Early warning, Ecology, Public health, Social science, Culture, insecticide, Infestations, Environmental assessment, Rangeland management, Pesticides, Bundle, Environmental impact	English	Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
ARS grasshopper species fact sheets	1994		Management, Species identification, Series	English	Agricultural Research Services, United States Department of Agriculture
Court rejects federal pesticide-spraying program on millions of acres of western rangelands	2025		Ecology, Spraying, Chemical control, Infestations, Management, Governance, Conservation, Land use management, Habitat	English
Field Guide to Common Western Grasshoppers	2002		Species identification, Field guide	English	United States Department of Agriculture, Robert E. Pfadt
Grasshopper infestation continues after pesticide spray canceled	2023		Spraying, Ecology, Environmental science, Infestations, Emergency response, Chemical control, Grazing	English	Alaina Mencinger
Grasshopper Integrated Pest Management User Handbook	2000		Biological control, Chemical control, Monitoring, Modeling, Population dynamics, Rangeland management, Decision making, Bundle, Ecology, Pesticides, Biopesticide, Integrated pest management	English	Agricultural Research Services, United States Department of Agriculture
Grasshopper watch	2022		Grasshoppers	English
Grasshoppers Are Descending on the West in Swarms	2021		Grasshoppers	English
Grasshoppers in California	1902	View	Life cycle, History, Locusts, Early warning, Agriculture, Emergency response, Management	English	C.W. Woodworth
Grasshoppers of the Western United States		View	Management, Species identification, Key	English	United States Department of Agriculture
Grasshoppers their habits and damage	1964	View	Grasshoppers, Outbreaks, Natural enemies, Ecology, Habitat, Quality illustrations, Species identification	English	United States Department of Agriculture
Grasshoppers wreak havoc	2023		Ecology, Agriculture, Outbreaks, Economics, Crop health, Emergency response	English	Christine Souza
Hopper helper		View	Survey, Life cycle, Species identification, Integrated pest management	English	Wendal Cushing
Las Vegas resident shares experience as swarms of grasshoppers return to valley	2024		Outbreaks	English
Mega Disasters: Super Swarms of Locusts	2021		General locust education, Video	English
Montana.gov Orthoptera Field Guides		View	Species identification, Management, Biology, Distribution, Map, Rangeland management, Information hub, Website	English
Mormon cricket 'sludge' blankets northern Nevada roads causing crashes	2024		Media article, Outbreaks	English
Overview of the APHIS Rangeland Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Suppression Program	2022		Management, Chemical control, Grasshoppers, Governance, Video	English	APHIS PPQ Science & Technology Insect Management and Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory (Phoenix Station), United States Department of Agriculture
Overview of the APHIS Rangeland Grasshopper and Moron Cricket Suppression Program	2022		Video, Grasshoppers, Management, Educational video	English	United States Department of Agriculture, APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine
Pest Grasshoppers of the West	2005	View	Management, Species identification	English	University of Wyoming
Protecting U.S. rangeland from grasshoppers and Mormon crickets	2021	View	Outbreaks, Infestations, Mormon crickets, Rangeland management, insecticide	English	United States Department of Agriculture
Rangeland Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket suppression program	2019	View	Public health, Governance, Culture, Grasshoppers, Economics, Environmental assessment, Life cycle, Biology	English	United States Department of Agriculture
Rangeland Grasshopper Management	1993		Management, Species identification, Control	English	University of Wyoming, Jeffrey Lockwood, Scott Schell
The Grasshoppers of the Western U.S. Lucid mobile app	2016		Management, Species identification	English	APHIS PPQ Science & Technology Insect Management and Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory (Phoenix Station), United States Department of Agriculture, Center for Plant Health Science and Technology of the USDA
UC Integrated Pest Management for Home Gardeners and Landscape Professionals	2013	View	Life cycle, Pesticide management, Management	English	University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program
USDA APHIS-PPQ-Science & Technology Phoenix Lab Rangeland Unit project summary	2021		Summary, Set, Project, Project report	English, Spanish, French	APHIS PPQ Science & Technology Insect Management and Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory (Phoenix Station), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture

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