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Grasshoppers On Attack!

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 9:23 pm
by wx247
Gee... And I thought our town had cricket problems...

Grasshoppers invade U.S. West
FRI Jun 13 2003 20:50:27 ET

San Francisco (dpa) - Huge swarms of hungry grasshoppers have invaded the western United States, prompting agricultural experts to warn of damage unparalleled in decades.

The plague has hit the states of Nevada, Utah and Idaho particularly hard and shows no sign of abating.

``This is bigger then anything we've seen in a long time,'' said expert Mike Cooper, quoted in ``The Idaho Statesman''.

Cooper cited records showing the current swarms to be the largest since World War II. Officials in Idaho have posted warning signs near highways warning of slippery conditions if the crickets swarm on the road.

In Utah, authorities predict that 2.5 million hectares could be devoured by the invading swarms. Authorities are hoping to use insecticide to prevent the situation's getting out of hand, but environmental groups have filed four law suits hoping to block the spraying.
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Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 10:31 pm
by weatherlover427
:o I better beware of this then!

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 10:46 pm
by breeze
Does anyone know if this is a cyclical thing? We have Cicadas
that invade Tennessee about every seven years or so....they're
obnoxious... flying into your hair, face...swarming everywhere...
it lasts for a few months, they breed, lay eggs, and, then we
don't see another swarm for about seven more years.

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 2:29 am
by JQ Public
Yeh i was wondering the same thing! I wonder if they are signaled to swarm like this due to weather patterns or smthg?

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 8:20 am
by wx247
Good questions. I am not quite for sure.

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 11:50 am
by azsnowman
Well, they forgot to mention Northern Az, we too are having the same problem along with the Western Balsm Beetle, Cicadas

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 12:45 pm
by wx247
Goodness Dennis. I feel for ya bud! :)