One man's shrub is another bug's dinner.
Allan Lubberding says that hundreds, if not thousands, of grasshoppers have been invading his backyard on Goodridge Drive in Grandin over the last couple of weeks.
"They're just destroying our yard," Lubberding said. "We planted all these shrubs and plants, and they're chewing them up."
He said they're going on the second week of the problem. Despite spraying them with Doktor Doom, an insecticide, the grasshoppers keep coming. He estimates they've probably killed close to 1,000 at this point.
"You kill the one that lands, but they just keep coming," he said, adding that they've dealt with grasshoppers and other critters before, but never anything like this.
He said they mostly seem to be coming from the Alberta Transit and Utility Corridor (TUC) field that sits right being his property. He's seen people mowing the grass, but said other than that, they don't seem to do anything.
He said he has also contacted St. Albert Public Works, but the city can only spray the walkway beside his house that they're responsible for. The problem has become an issue as he and his family try to enjoy their summer.
"We can't enjoy our backyard," he said. "We're constantly trying. They're landing on everything ... they're jumping all over you."
Urban invasions by grasshoppers are becoming more common. Dan Johnson, a professor of Environmental Science at the University of Lethbridge, said this happened in 2021 where grasshoppers swarmed into the western side of Lethbridge "by the millions."
"They typically happen because spots of grasshoppers had enough dry conditions to survive and reproduce. And when they run out of food, for one reason or another they, they move into what's nearby and green and that's a city," Johnson said.
He said these types of invasions typically only last for one year, but if the conditions are dry and warm at the right time, it might prolong the problem into next year.
"They only have one generation per year, but when it's cool and wet, they just go to sleep and wait. And when it's warm and dry again they tend to come out," he said.
Johnson said he'd expect the grasshoppers to start laying eggs next week and they'll do it all through August. If conditions are dry then, and also dry in June 2026, it will be good for the hatchlings and this could all happen again.
He had some tips for homeowners or gardeners who might want to protect their plants. They include staying away from pesticides and irrigation, which he acknowledges costs time and money.
"It's not always convenient but you could just keep it wet," he said. "If you're watering a lot, that works against grasshopper damage. I wouldn't recommend pesticide use in town. Most of the pesticides are not intended for urban use, and if they are it's not necessarily that effective because they can always come back a week later. And who knows what else you're killing. You might be killing things that work against grasshoppers."
In an emailed statement, St. Albert's Operations Supervisor for Public Operations Erin Pickard said they have received a few calls from residents about a high grasshopper population.
"The issue is not exclusive to the city and is something that areas around the province are experiencing," Pickard said. "Populations tend to be highest when the conditions are dry, and in agricultural areas. Grasshoppers are an agricultural issue, so municipalities do not generally take significant action. The city is monitoring the situation at this time."
A webpage on grasshoppers on the Government of Alberta's website says if insecticides are needed, users should read the label regarding safety and proper application techniques.
"It is important to remember that control measures are intended to protect the crops from economic damage and are never successful in totally eliminating grasshopper populations. It is easier to scout and control grasshoppers earlier in their lifecycle rather than waiting until they are more mobile," the webpage said.
The Gazette reached out to the infrastructure minister's office about the land where the grasshoppers seem to be coming from, but did not get a response by press time.
