Spring in Las Vegas is coming with a side of skittering. Grasshoppers are showing up earlier than usual this year, hopping across porch lights, yards and even front doors, and they are not sticking to the usual desert washes. Neighbors and pest-control crews say the insects are popping up across residential areas, turning into an unwelcome nuisance for homeowners and their pets.
Geoffrey Perez with Pestivities Pest Control says an early warm stretch across the valley kicked off grasshopper season ahead of schedule. Perez told KTNV that adult grasshoppers live roughly 30 to 90 days, so the current surge should taper off within the next few weeks.
Why they are showing up early
State officials point to shifting seasonal patterns and bright lights as the main drivers. The Nevada Department of Agriculture notes that grasshoppers are a normal part of southern Nevada’s landscape and are strongly attracted to bright lights, which means well-lit patios, carports and front yards can act like beacons for migrating insects.
Warmer-than-average temperatures are pushing more than just grasshoppers into action ahead of schedule. The Southern Nevada Health District began mosquito surveillance about a month early in March because of the warm spell and recent rain, a move public health officials say signals a broader shift in how and when local insects get active…