Warmer temperatures are causing grasshopper eggs to hatch sooner, bringing the insects out weeks ahead of schedule across San Diego.
SAN DIEGO — Grasshoppers are showing up earlier than usual across San Diego this year, and experts say warmer temperatures are to blame.
A sales associate at Armstrong Garden Centers in Allied Gardens, Rocco Moschette, has a background in entomology and says the timing comes down to soil temperature.
“It’s a little early, but it’s the temperature. The soil temperature, once it warms up, that signals the eggs to hatch,” Moschette said.
Female grasshoppers can lay up to 150 eggs in a single clutch. Populations also tend to spike cyclically every 8 to 10 years, and experts say this may be one of those windows.
While swarms of millions are more common in desert regions, Moschette says San Diego typically does not see anything on that scale.
“There can be large numbers of grasshoppers in a locust swarm, millions and millions. We usually don’t see anything like that here,” he said.
Locally, grasshoppers are considered more of a nuisance than a threat. They favor grasses and grains, so gardeners should keep a close eye on green spaces.
For those looking to treat an infestation, Moschette recommends an organic option containing Spinosad (a natural soil bacterium derivative), called Captain Jack’s, available for around $15.