How To Keep Locusts Away

If you’re seeing swarms of these hungry insects in your garden, you’re probably searching for how to keep locusts away. These natural methods can protect your plants without harsh chemicals.

Locusts can turn a thriving garden into a skeleton in hours. It’s a frustrating sight. But before you reach for strong pesticides, know that nature offers many effective solutions. This guide covers practical, eco-friendly strategies to defend your green space.

We’ll look at barriers, plants they hate, and homemade sprays. You can create a garden that locusts will want to avoid.

This approach focuses on making your garden an unappealing target. Locusts are driven by hunger and the need to swarm. Your goal is to disrupt their feeding and encourage them to move on.

A combination of methods works best. Think of it as building layers of defense around your precious plants.

Understanding What Attracts Locusts

First, know your enemy. Locusts are attracted to lush, green vegetation, especially in dry areas where other food is scarce. They prefer grains and grasses, but during a swarm, they’ll eat almost anything.

They are also drawn to other locusts. The sight and smell of a feeding group attracts more. Breaking this cycle early is key.

Physical Barriers and Traps

Creating a physical block is your first line of defense. It’s a direct way to protect specific plants or small garden beds.

Fine Mesh Netting: Cover plants with insect netting or floating row covers. Ensure the mesh is fine enough that young locusts can’t squeeze through. Secure it tightly to the ground so they can’t crawl under.
Sticky Traps: Place yellow sticky traps around the garden perimeter. The color can attract them, and they’ll get stuck. This is more effective for monitoring and catching smaller numbers.
Protective Collars: For young seedlings, use cardboard or plastic collars buried in the soil around the stem. This can deter crawling nymphs.

Using Natural Predators

Encouraging locust predators is a brilliant long-term strategy. Many birds, insects, and small mammals see locusts as a tasty meal.

Attract Birds: Install bird feeders, bird baths, and nesting boxes. Birds like swallows, sparrows, and starlings consume large quantities of insects.
Welcome Beneficial Insects: Praying mantises, robber flies, and certain wasp species prey on locust eggs and adults. Plant diverse flowers to bring them into your garden.
Don’t Forget Reptiles: A garden with some rocks and sunning spots can attract lizards, which will happily eat locusts.

Plants That Repel Locusts Naturally

Companion planting is a powerful tool. Some plants have strong scents or properties that locusts find offensive. Interplant these with your vegetables and flowers.

Herbs: Plant cilantro, garlic, and catnip. Their strong odors mask the scent of your more tempting plants.
Flowers: Marigolds and calendula are not just pretty. They release a smell that deters many pests, including locusts. Sunflowers can sometimes act as a trap crop, drawing them away from other plants.
Shrubs: Neem and wormwood are very effective but are often used in a processed form for sprays.

Homemade Natural Repellent Sprays

When you need a direct application, these sprays can be made from common household items. Always test a small part of the plant first to check for damage.

Garlic and Chili Spray

This creates a spicy, smelly barrier locusts hate.

Blend 2 whole garlic bulbs and 5-6 hot chili peppers with 4 cups of water.
Let the mixture steep overnight, then strain it into a spray bottle.
Add a teaspoon of mild liquid soap to help the spray stick to leaves.
Spray generously on plant leaves, especially the undersides. Reapply after rain.

Neem Oil Solution

Neem oil disrupts the feeding and growth cycles of insects. It’s a bit of a gold standard for natural gardeners.

Mix 2 teaspoons of pure neem oil with 1 teaspoon of mild liquid soap in a quart of warm water. The soap helps the oil mix with the water.
Shake vigorously before and during application.
Spray in the early morning or late evening to avoid harming beneficial insects and to prevent leaf sunburn.

Vinegar-Based Spray

A strong vinegar smell can deter many pests. Use this more on the soil or garden borders, as it can harm delicate plant leaves.

Mix equal parts white vinegar and water.
Add a tablespoon of liquid soap per cup of solution.
Spray around the base of plants and on non-plant areas where locusts gather.

Garden Maintenance to Discourage Locusts

How you care for your garden makes a huge difference. A tidy, healthy garden is more resilient.

Remove Egg Sites: Locusts lay eggs in bare, undisturbed soil. Tilling your garden in fall and spring can destroy these eggs before they hatch.
Reduce Tall Grasses: Keep the grass around your garden mowed short. Tall grasses are preferred egg-laying sites and hiding spots.
Use Diatomaceous Earth: Sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth around plants. This fine powder damages the exoskeleton of crawling locust nymphs, causing them to dehydrate. Reapply after watering or rain.
Stay Vigilant: Act at the first sign of locusts. A small group is much easier to manage than a full swarm. Hand-pick them early in the morning when they are slow and drop them into soapy water.

When a Swarm is Imminent

If a large swarm is reported in your area, escalate your tactics immediately. Combine all methods.

Cover your most valuable plants with physical netting immediately.
Heavily apply neem oil or garlic spray to create a strong scent barrier.
Make noise. While not a guaranteed fix, the vibrations from loud music or banging pots can sometimes disturb and disperse a settling group.
Water your garden thoroughly. Locusts are often more attracted to stressed, dry plants. A well-hydrated plant is also better able to recover from minor munching.

FAQ: Keeping Locusts Away

What smells do locusts hate the most?

Locusts strongly dislike the pungent smells of garlic, chili, and vinegar. Herbal scents like neem, cilantro, and marigold are also effective at repelling them.

Will soapy water kill locusts?

Yes, a direct spray of soapy water can suffocate locusts by coating their bodies. Mix 2 tablespoons of mild liquid soap (like Castile) per gallon of water and spray it directly on them. It works best on younger nymphs.

What is a natural predator of locusts?

Many birds (like chickens and wild birds), insects (praying mantises, certain beetles), and reptiles (lizards) are natural locust predators. Encouraging these creatures in your garden provides long-term control.

How do I protect my trees from locusts?

For young trees, wrap the trunk with a physical barrier like burlap or fine mesh. For larger trees, applying a natural spray like neem oil to the leaves can offer some protection, though it can be challenging to cover a whole tree.

Does planting certain flowers help?

Absolutely. Flowers like marigolds, calendula, and sunflowers can act as repellent or trap crops. They either deter locusts with their scent or attract them away from your more valuble vegetables.

Protecting your garden from locusts takes persistence. There’s no single magic bullet, but by combining these natural strategies, you can significantly reduce the damage. Start with garden hygiene and companion planting, then use sprays and barriers when needed. Remember, the goal is to manage the problem and protect your harvest, not necessarily to achieve total elimination. With these steps, your garden will stand a much stronger chance against these hungry invaders.