February 19,2007

Due to the potential of serious grasshopper problems in rangeland in the central Sandhills and southwest Nebraska this summer, rangeland grasshopper workshops will be offered in Thedford and Imperial in March.

The workshops, March 13 at the Thomas County Ag Building in Thedford and March 14 at the 4-H building in Imperial, will start at 10 a.m. local time and end at 3:30 p.m.

State and government workers, aerial applicators and ranchers are encouraged to attend.The summer/fall U.S. Department of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service grasshopper survey indicated grasshopper densities at many sites of 15 or more per square yard. The economic threshold generally is 8 to 15 or more adults per square yard. Samples in the Sandhills have been well over these densities, said Jack Campbell, entomologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln West Central Research and Extension Center at North Platte.

The UNL Extension/USDA-APHIS workshops feature rangeland grasshopper specialists from the University of Wyoming. In addition, USDA-APHIS personnel will explain the details and requirements for the Federal Grasshopper Control Program, including minimum required acres, endangered species issues and cost of the program.

The UW speakers will present specifics on effectively using the RAATs (Reduced Agent and Area Treatments) control program and update the audience on their research in rangeland grasshopper management.

The RAATs program uses a reduced rate of insecticide to treat a reduced area for grasshopper control while maintaining a high level of control and providing considerable cost reduction, Campbell said.

The insecticide application is made to half of the infested area by treating one swath with an insecticide and leaving the next swath untreated. Since the insecticide of choice, diflubenzuron, has a residual of 21 to 28 days, the grasshoppers will move from the untreated area to the treated area while the insecticide is still active. Usually, for best results an attractant, such as canola oil, is added to the spray solution and low volume applications of 12 to 24 ounces per acre are applied.

A $10 fee will cover lunch and other materials. For more information or to register for the Thedford workshop, call the Central Sandhills Area Extension Office at (800) 657-2113 or (308) 645-2267 at least one week in advance. For more information or to register for the Imperial workshop, call the Chase County Extension office at (308) 882-4731 or (800) 291-5309 at least one week in advance. Registration isn't mandatory, but would be helpful for a meal count and preparing handout materials.

IANR News Release