Grasshoppers On North Edge of City Damaging Hay Crop

By 250 News

A lone grasshopper in the hand looks harmless enough, but the millions in two  two hayfields on the north edge of Prince George are destroying a crop.

Prince George, B.C. - Local rancher Karrey Marsolais says he won’t know to what extent an infestation of grasshoppers is having on his hay crop until he begins cutting the crop next week.

Marsolais who ranches two  fields on the north side of Chief Lake Road says he estimates that up to 100 grasshoppers cover each square meter of his hay fields.

Outside estimates place the damage at about one third of his hay crop on the two fields which total about 320 acres.

"I’ve seen them before" says Marsolais "but never like this. In the past we had hoppers, but they usually appeared in mid August when we had already cut the hay crop and they created little damage. This year the hoppers hatched in mid June when we had that hot spell" that gave the pests plenty of time to  grow and feed on his  crop.

There are virtually millions of grass hoppers on the ranch.

(click on the photo above to see a short video taken on the  field.  each flash is a grasshopper)

The Provincial Ministry  of Agriculture  has told Marsolais that if he wants to get rid of the pests he will have to pay for the spray himself. Or he can obtain crop insurance and hope they hit with a vengeance next year. That says Marsolais is a real possibility.

Marsolais wants to hear from other ranchers in the central part of the province as to whether they also have been hit with a major influx of the hoppers.

In recent days the grasshoppers have begun to show up at homes on the edge of the city as they migrate in search of greener pastures and a place to set up shop next year.

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