City looking to control measures next year for grasshopper outbreak

By Tim Kalinowski on August 12, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDtkalinowski@lethbridgeherald.com

The City will not be taking any additional measures to control localized grasshopper outbreaks in Lethbridge this summer, but will seek to take action next year if the problem persists.
City of Lethbridge Director of Infrastructure Services Doug Hawkins addressed the issue during Tuesday’s public meeting in a response to an inquiry from Coun. Blaine Hyggen. Hyggen made the inquiry at the last council meeting in July after he and other councillors received several complaints from the public on localized grasshopper infestations this summer of both the two-striped and migratory grasshopper species, mainly on the westside.
The Herald was told by Lethbridge-based grasshopper expert Dan Johnson last week that he too was more concerned about next year as far as a possibly more widespread outbreak goes- particularly if the weather conditions we have experienced this year continue into next summer.
“A little bit more concerning is the fact that all around Lethbridge and southern Alberta we have patches of this happening,” Johnson stated when interviewed on the subject. “Those patches are fairly small, but they are fairly intense. So if we continue weather like this, and they lay eggs- and they are laying eggs right now; I have seen them. Those eggs will be in the ground. If they get a little bit of rain later, that is even better for the eggs. So I have a feeling next spring around the end of May or beginning of June they will be hatching. Along the edge of town, but also in these other places where there are these patches. Another year of weather like this will allow those patches to sort of join together, and coalesce a bit more.”
Hawkins confirmed to council on Tuesday that his staff was on the same page as Johnson.
“I think nothing directly will impact the situation this year,” stated Hawkins, “but we are looking at control measures we might engage in, subject to council approval, to deal with next year’s problem.”

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ewingbt

3 years ago

Put grasshoppers on restaurant menus . . . there are a few ways to cook them and they are high in protein! 🙂 Okay I am joking . . . but for those that are seriously thinking about it:
https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Grasshoppers
Go to the website and it tells how to prep freshly caught grasshoppers. There are actually restaurants/shops in North American that you can order pre-cooked grasshoppers!

Ingredients
–Dry roasted grasshoppers:

• 1 cup grasshoppers,
• Olive oil,
• Salt and pepper to tastes,

–Garlic butter fried grasshoppers:

• 1/4 cup butter,
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed,
• 1 cup grasshoppers,

–Grasshopper fritters:

• 3/4 cup sifted flour,
• 1 tsp. baking powder,
• 1 tsp. salt,
• 3/4 c milk,
• 1 egg, slightly beaten,
• 1 cup grasshoppers,
• 1 pt. heavy cream beaten stiff,

–Grasshopper skewers:

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice,
• 1 tbsp. olive oil,
• 1 tsp. honey,
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger,
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard,
• 1 tbsp. minced parsley,
• 1 tbsp. minced parsley,
• 1/4 tsp. salt,
• 1/4 tsp. pepper,
• 12 frozen grasshoppers,
• 1 diced red bell pepper,
• 1 yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges,

–Sautéed grasshoppers:

• 1 cup grasshoppers,
• 1/4 cup lemon juice,
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed,
• 1/4 cup lime juice,
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil,
• 1 serrano chile,
• 1/2 diced onion,

Last edited 3 years ago by ewingbt

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