Do you know, up to this year, I haven't seen a single grasshopper on our farm since the 70s. That may sound completely insane but it occurred to me as we were chatting with a neighbour around the camp fire about the stuff we did as kids and the things we saw. Dumpheads in our stream. Frog Spawn. All gone. Far fewer slow worms. Where did it go? Far less of everything but then it came to me that the humble little grasshoper, a chap who gave us so much fun as children, had just gone from our farm. Neighbour (organic) said he had plenty. Hmm.
So, what have we done on our farm, which is all grass in that time? The use of spray has been limited to knapsack efforts on tiny areas and not by me. I don't want it to happen but that's a work in progress. The only thing we have done to the land in the last maybe 20 years is to put on bagged fertiliser. That's it. A modest dose at that.
This stopped recently. I took on the farm in 2014 I think and 2015 was the last year it was applied, due to a currently existing agreement with a proper farmer who liked losing money. Last year none. This year none and BOOM. Grasshoppers. Everywhere. I had it in my head that farmers see them as a bad thing but I can't find that info. What I have seen is many more birds swooping and picking them up. A healthy feed supply at nesting time. I expect the same birds will pick off maggot inducing flies and eat worm larvae as they develop.
I find it odd that bagged fert could have such an effect. Or is it something else to do with the balance of the soil, or the way I let the grass get much longer than my predecessors before grazing?
Either way, it's nice to see the bugs back.
So, what have we done on our farm, which is all grass in that time? The use of spray has been limited to knapsack efforts on tiny areas and not by me. I don't want it to happen but that's a work in progress. The only thing we have done to the land in the last maybe 20 years is to put on bagged fertiliser. That's it. A modest dose at that.
This stopped recently. I took on the farm in 2014 I think and 2015 was the last year it was applied, due to a currently existing agreement with a proper farmer who liked losing money. Last year none. This year none and BOOM. Grasshoppers. Everywhere. I had it in my head that farmers see them as a bad thing but I can't find that info. What I have seen is many more birds swooping and picking them up. A healthy feed supply at nesting time. I expect the same birds will pick off maggot inducing flies and eat worm larvae as they develop.
I find it odd that bagged fert could have such an effect. Or is it something else to do with the balance of the soil, or the way I let the grass get much longer than my predecessors before grazing?
Either way, it's nice to see the bugs back.
