Thanks for those links.
This one describes what is happening exactly and I have actually noticed adult grasshoppers on my hibiscus in the past few weeks. That's my hibiscus that I chopped back hard with great fear, but is now lush and green and flowering profusely. The herb garden and the hibiscus are only a couple of metres apart.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/l...200492528.html
Quote:
IF these little critters look JUST like teensy grasshoppers, then it is quite likely that they are grasshopper nymphs. Grasshoppers are extremely small when they hatch from their eggs. They are able to hop all over the place, but cannot fly until they grow up. They shed their skin periodically, and will change their color (and size) as they do so. SO! Take a good look and let us know if you're sure that they are grasshopper babies, or not.
Another clue is that the nymphs of grasshoppers feed in just the same way as the adults. They eat foliage. If you have a lot of them, then your basil plants will end up, piece by piece, into the tummies of these little guys, who won't stay little for very long.
At this early stage, insecticidal soap would be helpful, as would neem oil.
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