Klamath Irrigation District · Field Notice

Grasshopper & Mormon Cricket Reporting

2026 Season · Klamath, Modoc & Siskiyou Counties

Grasshoppers and Mormon crickets are active across the Basin this year. If you see them on your ground, tell us where. Your reports help the District and partner agencies map where the insects are building and respond before they reach standing crops.

01What we're seeing

• Grasshoppers have been spotted hatching and pouring out of the ground at the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in Siskiyou County.
• Producers along the Oregon–California state line have treated for grasshopper infestations several times this spring.
• KID patrons are reporting every stage — from newly hatched nymphs to full-grown adults — in the Van Brimmer Ditch Company area and the dry ground along the state line.

02The damage they do

At outbreak numbers, grasshoppers and Mormon crickets feed on leaves, stems, and seed heads, and they can clear a field in a matter of days. They usually start at the edges and work inward, and once one field is gone they move on to the next. Grain, alfalfa, and pasture are all at risk — and even where they don't take out a stand completely, they cut both yield and quality. 2023 was the last major outbreak in the Basin, and with this year's dry, fallowed ground and scarce forage, the conditions point the same direction.

03Why your report matters

Grasshopper outbreaks tend to follow drought years. Low rainfall and warm spring weather help eggs hatch and let young nymphs survive, so populations build fast — and as forage dries up, hungry grasshoppers move into pastures and crops. With so much dry, fallowed ground this season, conditions across the Basin point toward another hard year for crop damage.

The more we know about where the insects are and how thick they're getting, the better the District and partner agencies can target a response. A two-minute report from your field is the most useful information there is.

04Where we're collecting reports

05How to report

Fill out the short form below. It works on a phone in the field or on a computer, and it takes only a couple of minutes.

Form not loading on your device? Open the report form in a new tab →

06What to include in your report

• Where you saw them — nearest road, field, or canal.
• Roughly how many — a few, or thick across the ground.
• Life stage — tiny nymphs, mid-size, or full-grown adults.
• What they're on — bare ground, pasture, or a standing crop.
• Whether you've treated, and what you used.
• A photo, if you can take one.

07Resources

• Oregon Dept. of Agriculture — Grasshoppers & Mormon Crickets State program background, control guidance, and survey summaries.
• Control & Suppression flyer (PDF) Practical options for managing grasshoppers and Mormon crickets.
• Grasshopper & Mormon Cricket FAQs (PDF) Common questions about outbreaks and what to expect.
• USDA — Grasshopper biology, identification & management How to tell species apart and understand their life cycle.