Here’s How To Get Rid Of Florida’s Giant Grasshoppers

Spring is right around the corner and that means the giant grasshoppers in Florida are making their move throughout the Sunshine State. These pests hide out underground and suddenly emerge every Spring to take over your lawn and plants throughout your yard. But, how do you get rid of them? We’re here to help.

Every year, the Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers emerge from the ground to take over your yard. They grow to about 3 inches long and can multiply very fast.

Vice President of Horticulture for the Naples Botanical Gardens, Brian Galligan said, “They hatch in the hundreds. They have these little larvae that are pro by the adults - they develop underground, and this time, they hatch. In one location, a dozen or so will just start emerging.”

These grasshoppers only live for about 3 months, so take care of them while you can. Before dying off, they lay larvae underground so the offspring can surface the next spring to start the cycle all over again.

Galligan says the quickest way to get rid of these insects is the ‘old fashioned way’. If you see one of them buggers on the ground, give it a good stomp. They can destroy your shrubbery very fast so don’t wait around.

Chances are, you’ve seen these grasshoppers around your yard. They’re about 2 to 3 inches long with yellow and black coloring when they're adults. In the earlier stages, they’re darker colored with red accents.

The lubbers aren’t particularly dangerous to humans but are poisonous to smaller mammals and birds. Animals have died from the toxins inside these grasshoppers so be sure to keep an eye on your pets while in the yard. You can touch these insects, but just to be safe, do not eat them.

According to UFL, the lubbers can be taken out in a few ways. If you see one, it may not be a problem, but if you catch a glimpse of multiple on a branch, knock them down into a bucket of soap and water.

How do you deal with these giant grasshoppers in your Florida yard?

There are a lot of dangerous animals in Florida. But if you ever wondered what the most dangerous are? This list was put together by A-Z Animals. Between 1999 and 2019 only 247 people in Florida died as a result of an animal attack. Florida ranks as the third deadliest state in the United States for animal attacks. Texas is number one with 520 and California is number two with 299. Those findings come from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

So, what is the first animal that you think of when you think dangerous in Florida? You probably think of the Alligator, but that isn’t the number one overall dangerous animal in Florida. The Great White Shark is the most dangerous animal in Florida. While not on the land in Florida Great White Sharks swim the waters around the state of Florida. Back in 2020 Florida had 16 shark bites on record. Second was Hawaii with only five.

The dangerous animals in Florida that didn’t make the top five are some that you may have thought could’ve been higher. Firstly, number six on the list is the Black Widow Spider followed by the Florida Panther. The Florida Panther is the state animal. It was chosen in 1982 by a vote of students throughout the state. Following the Florida Panther on the list is the Wild Boar. You can find the Wild Boar in all 67 counties of Florida. Their estimated population is over half a million.

Next is the Timber Rattlesnake. It is also known as the canebreak rattlesnake and it is a species of pit viper. The Timber Rattlesnake has a Chevron pattern and a stripe running down its body. Finally, coming in number 10 on the list is the American Crocodile. They are found along the coast of Florida as north as the Hillsborough/Pasco County border on the west side of Florida.

Below, you can find the top five most dangerous animals in Florida.

Yes, Great White Sharks are found in the waters around Florida. A almost 1,200 pound shark that was almost 13 feet in length was tracked back in March of this year.

#1 and #2 on the list are sharks. They are in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. They grow to about 11 feet and can live about 24 years.

Alligators live in all 67 counties in Florida. You can find alligators in any body of water including lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, swamps and man-made canals. We've seen multiple reports this year of gator attacks, even some fatal ones.

They are found in pine flatwoods, longleaf pine and turkey oak hammocks, sand pine scrub areas, and coastal barrier islands. Yes it is venomous.

It is venomous and can be found throughout Florida. It is called a cottonmouth because of the white color of the inside of its mouth.