Grasshopper Trap
I can't speak for all different kinds of grasshoppers
in all different parts of the country, but I did notice some interesting
things about the grasshoppers in Atascosa County, Texas, when I visited
my father in Poteet, during the summer of 1995. I noticed that, when
the grasshoppers were flying, they commonly crashed into the walls of the
house. I noticed that, when they did so, they fell straight down,
all the way to the ground. It didn't seem to bother them a lot but
the fact is that they didn't recover their flight before hitting the ground.
They just stoically fell all of the way to the ground and then took off
again. I also noticed that when they took off, they didn't jump straight
up. They left the ground at an angle significantly less than 90°.
I'd say that it was closer to 30°. The significance is that,
if you could build a trap that the grasshoppers would fall into but not
be able to jump out of, then you'd have a dandy source of high protein
feed for your chickens. There are probably a lot of possible ways
to do it. I've suggested one way in the sketch. You can build
the cage out of screen wire and pieces of wood. The sloped top should
be made from something slick, like a piece of galvanized sheet iron.
Just set the cage next to any handy and appropriate wall, where grasshoppers
fly and chickens lurk. The grasshoppers will hit the wall and fall
into the trap. They won't be able to hop out again. The chickens
will push the little swinging doors open and eat the grasshoppers.
What a way to entertain your friends. "Hey Bubba! Grab yer
beer an' let's go watch the grasshopper trap fer a while!" If you
don't have a handy wall or if you want to put the thing out in the open,
away from buildings, then just use an upright sheet of plywood. Then,
you can put cages on both sides of it and catch the grasshoppers coming
and going, as they say.

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