Weekly Update (May 11, 2016; Wk 02) - Predicted Grasshopper Development

Grasshoppers (Acrididae) – Warm conditions over the past seven days have resulted in rapid grasshopper development. Predicted mean embryological development was 74% (last week was 62%) with greatest development predicted to be in southern AB. Embryological development is predicted to be 16% ahead of long term average values (prairie wide). The model predicts that 4% of the hatch is complete (AB, SK and MB).

Recall that the 2016 Grasshopper Forecast Map circulated in January predicted the following risk areas.  

Biological and monitoring information related to grasshoppers in field crops is posted by the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network.  Also refer to the grasshopper pages within the new "Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide" - both English-enhanced or French-enhanced versions are available.