Southern Alberta to see 'upward trend' in grasshopper population this summer

Grasshoppers are seen eating an apple.

Grasshoppers are known for their ability to damage gardens and crops, and it seems southern Albertans will potentially have to deal with more this year.

"There is a general upward trend in the county and around the city, and that will continue," said Dan Johnson, an environmental science professor at the University of Lethbridge.

Grasshoppers flourish in hot and dry conditions.

While most people, plants and animals have been suffering through the last few years of drought, grasshoppers have been thriving.     

Spring rains can help to keep grasshopper populations down.

Rain limits a grasshopper’s ability to grow when it's in its younger stages.

However, the heavy rain southern Alberta is currently seeing came just a bit too early, according to Johnson.

"The immature stages of the pest species of grasshopper is susceptible to rain and mud and fungus, but they don't come out until the end of May and early June, and then they continue hatching for another couple of weeks."

While the rain may not do much to help right now, there is still hope.

Long-term forecasts are showing May and June could see more rain than in the last few years.

"Our long-range forecasting models are indicating that southern Alberta will likely be normal to above normal for the month of May, and even into June.

"We're seeing that sort of trend that we're going to be having rainstorms," said Alysa Pederson, a warning preparedness meteorologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada.