Scaly-winged grasshopper

The scaly-winged grasshopper (Chorthippus scalaris) is a member of the Acrididae family within the order Orthoptera. This species is commonly found in grasslands, meadows, and pastures across Eurasia, often acting as a significant pest when local environmental conditions favor a rapid population surge.

The grasshopper primarily damages permanent pastures and forage grasses, but it can also migrate into cereal crops. Both nymphs and adults feed on the leaf blades of various Poaceae species, causing significant biomass loss and reducing the quality of hay and grazing pastures.

The life cycle of this species consists of an egg stage overwintering in the soil, followed by five nymphal instars before reaching adulthood. Hatching typically occurs in late spring, depending on soil temperature. Development is relatively fast, and adults are highly mobile, allowing them to spread across fields efficiently.

The damage caused by Chorthippus scalaris is characterized by ragged leaf edges and the stripping of foliage, which hinders plant growth and photosynthesis. In high-density populations, the grasshoppers can strip entire fields, leading to total yield failure, particularly in young, sensitive cereal stands.

Control strategies emphasize preventative agricultural practices, such as plowing, which destroys overwintering egg pods in the soil, and weed control around field edges to reduce habitat availability. Chemical control via approved insecticides is necessary when scouting reveals populations exceeding economic threshold levels during the nymphal stages.

• Deep plowing to destroy egg masses
• Vegetation management along field borders
• Timely monitoring of nymphal populations
• Application of selective insecticides when necessary