How to Catch Grasshoppers... for Pet Food. a Grasshopper Trap

We seem to have a pile of animals that we always need to feed... one of those is Draco our chameleon. He loves grasshoppers and crickets. It just so happens that there are millions of grasshoppers jumping around the yard. So I made a simple trap that scooped them up by the hundreds.

Check it out.

Disclaimer: there are some concerns when it comes to feeding pets wild insects due to pesticides or parasites. It is not recommended by some. I happen to do this in a remote place of Montana where there are no pesticides. I figure if my son eats the grasshoppers... they would be ok for our pets from time to time.... but your call with your pets. For bait or our free range chickens... i have no reservation.

Supplies:

• Plastic tarp (drop cloth or i used an old mattress bag)
• canning jar with ring lid
• long wood board

Optional

• Stapler,
• more boards for handles
• tape to help keep the staples from ripping through the plastic

1. Run the long board down the long side of the plastic sheet and attach it. I marked this with blue tape here. The blue tape also helped keep the staples from ripping through. I secured it with a staple gun.
2. I added handles which helped so you dont have to bend over so far when using.
3. Place the canning jar under the tarp centered from left to right and in the lower third closer to the bottom board, screw on the lid from the other side of the plastic
4. Cut an X in the plastic

You now have a trap

1. Find a field of grasshoppers
2. Holding the long board (handles or not) a couple inches off of the ground.
3. Hold the back corners up in the air
4. walk swiftly forward. Note: It helps to walk into a gentle breeze
5. The hoppers jump up when scared and many of them land on the tarp.
6. Lift up the corners and they fall into the jar
7. Enjoy the snack you just caught

We caught several hundred in about 15 minutes.