What Kills Lubber Grasshoppers? | Nymphs, Adults, And Bait

Young lubber grasshoppers are killed most effectively by hand-picking into soapy water or direct insecticide sprays; adults resist spraying and often need physical removal.

One wrong move with these oversized, slow-moving insects can cost you a whole garden bed. The eastern lubber grasshopper, common across Florida and the southeastern US, devours ornamental plants and vegetables in alarming volume. The fix for what kills lubber grasshoppers hinges entirely on one factor: their age. Catch them while they’re still nymphs and control is straightforward; wait until they’ve molted into large adults and your options narrow sharply.

Why Timing Decides Your Control Strategy

The single biggest mistake homeowners make is waiting too long. Young lubber nymphs cluster together in large groups, making them easy targets for a single spray or collection pass. Their small bodies and soft exoskeletons are vulnerable to direct insecticide contact and simple drowning in soapy water.

Adults, by contrast, are built to survive. They secrete toxins that make birds and lizards avoid them, and their tougher bodies shrug off many insecticide residues. The University of Florida notes that once lubbers reach adulthood, chemical sprays often “will no longer work,” leaving physical methods as the practical route.

How To Kill Nymphs: The Stage Where Spray Works

The most effective, least wasteful approach is to spot-treat young nymphs directly, ideally while they’re clustered. You’ll see them gathered on low vegetation, often in groups of dozens. Choose one registered grasshopper insecticide, apply it directly to the insects, and follow the label closely.

• Soapy water drowning: Fill a bucket with soapy water and knock or hand-pick the nymphs into it. They sink and die quickly.
• Shop vac collection: A wet-dry vac with a bit of soapy water in the tank works surprisingly well for clearing a cluster fast.
• Direct insecticide spray: Products containing bifenthrin, permethrin, carbaryl, or spinosad are effective when sprayed directly on nymphs.

Spraying directly onto the insects matters more than spraying plants. Relying on residue alone — where the insect merely walks across a treated leaf — gives far weaker results than a direct hit.

A Chemical Bait That Works On Every Stage

For areas too large to hand-pick, a granular bait comes closest to a set-and-forget option. It works especially well in areas dominated by less-preferred host plants, where grasshoppers are hungry enough to eat the bait granules.

This bait route is worth considering when nymphs have scattered across a large lawn or field edge. You can spread the granules in the late afternoon or evening, and the grasshoppers feed overnight. For a full rundown of products that handle both nymphs and tougher adults, our tested insecticide picks for lubber grasshoppers break down what actually worked in side-by-side trials.

What To Do With The Adults

Once lubbers reach their full size, insecticide sprays are largely wasted effort. The honest answer is physical removal. A lawnmower run over a feeding group works, as does dispatching them with a shovel. It isn’t pleasant, but it’s the most reliable route. If you must use spray on adults, direct application to each insect is the only approach with any real chance — and even then, repeated treatments are usually needed.

While you’re clearing adults, a few natural allies are on your side. These predators won’t solve an infestation, but they do help keep next year’s numbers down.

Egg control is the long game. Adult control being so difficult makes early intervention the whole strategy: the more nymphs you kill this year, the fewer egg masses get laid for next spring. If you’re unsure which product fits your specific plants, the University of Florida extension guidance on lubber season is a solid starting point.

One practical caution: stick to products specifically registered for grasshopper control. And always read the label before mixing — spot treatment on the insects themselves beats broad spraying every time.