LAS VEGAS—A migration of mild-mannered grasshoppers sweeping through the Las Vegas area is being attributed to wet weather several months ago.
Nevada state entomologist Jeff Knight told reporters on Thursday, July 25 the number of adult pallid-winged grasshoppers traveling north to central Nevada is unusual but not unprecedented and they pose no danger.
Even the grasshoppers are getting in on the action ???? at Slots A Fun #lasvegasgrasshoppers pic.twitter.com/KCfl0UsZBv
— David Guzman (@davidguzman1985) July 28, 2019
Knight said the grasshoppers are drawn to ultraviolet light sources and so switching to different lights would encourage them to leave.
“They attracted to the ultraviolet lights so you can consider changing the lights outside of your house and garage. If you go to a low UV or amber light, they will move on. You’ll see the most under bright white lights at night.”
LV last night, my buddy living there confirms it was this bad. Grasshoppers lol pic.twitter.com/kP1phGsoUd
— ???????????????? ????????. ❄️⛈ (@WxmanFranz) July 28, 2019
Millions of grasshoppers have descended upon Las Vegas, swarming the city’s sidewalks and chirping around its bright lights.@BreakingChesky reports. pic.twitter.com/PrDDrVu1Yg
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) July 28, 2019
“They don’t carry diseases or bite and probably won’t even cause any damage in your yards,” said Nevada state entomologist Jeff Knight. “They do not eat wood.”
He urged patience, as the critters will soon be gone.
“There is really no point in spraying your house because they won’t be around long enough,” Knight said. “They may lay 50-100 eggs that could hatch in the fall but they most likely won’t hatch because conditions are not right. They generally just eat weeds.”
He said there have been several similar migrations in the past 30 years, including one about six or seven years ago, adding that they’re typically linked to unusual weather patterns.
“It appears through history that when we have a wet winter or spring, these things build up often down below Laughlin and even into Arizona,” Knight told CNN. “We’ll have flights about this time of the year, migrations, and they’ll move northward.”
What happens in Vegas, definitely can stay in Vegas! #GrasshopperInvasion pic.twitter.com/rH144Izbig
— Steve Glazier (@SteveGlazier) July 27, 2019
NOPE! THIS. IS. TOO. MUCH. Check out this video of the grasshopper infestation Thursday night on the Las Vegas Strip ???? ????????
READ MORE→https://t.co/Bb7biU8ljk
(????: @365inVegas) pic.twitter.com/6gklAdfIZR— Las Vegas RJ (@reviewjournal) July 26, 2019
In 2019, the Las Vegas area recorded more rain in six months than the annual average of just under 4.2 inches per year.
Epoch Times reporter Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
