How much moisture will grasshoppers add to grain in storage?
Grasshoppers in grain may look and smell like a problem, but it is unlikely that grasshoppers will add enough moisture to a bin to cause grain to go out of condition. The amount of moisture that grasshoppers add to grain can be estimated based on the average size of grasshoppers and assuming that they are about 70% moisture. The size and weight of grasshoppers varies with species and with gender but assuming average type weights for the pest species normally found in Alberta, it takes about 300-800 grasshoppers per bushel of barley or canola to raise the moisture content of this grain by 1%. In wheat and peas it takes 400-1000 grasshoppers per bushel to change the moisture content by the same 1%.
