Yesterday I heard (from an acquaintance of a friend, so cannot vouch
for the veracity, merely relate it as told to me) that someone near
here accidentally dropped a container of garlic butter, which popped
open and splattered the contents on the ground. He was amazed to see,
several minutes later, hundreds of grasshoppers eagerly eating it.

He was even more amazed to see, about fifteen minutes later, hundreds
of dead grasshoppers. Apparently the Alberta Agricultural Research
organisation (IIRC) is following up on this.

Is this an Old Wives' tale, or an Urban/Rural Legend?

It won't cost anyone much to try this out.

--
John W Hall
Cochrane, Alberta, Canada.
"Helping People Prosper in the Information Age"

John Hall wrote in
news
Yesterday I heard (from an acquaintance of a friend, so cannot vouch
for the veracity, merely relate it as told to me) that someone near
here accidentally dropped a container of garlic butter, which popped
open and splattered the contents on the ground. He was amazed to see,
several minutes later, hundreds of grasshoppers eagerly eating it.

He was even more amazed to see, about fifteen minutes later, hundreds
of dead grasshoppers. Apparently the Alberta Agricultural Research
organisation (IIRC) is following up on this.

Is this an Old Wives' tale, or an Urban/Rural Legend?

It won't cost anyone much to try this out.

Interesting, one web site lists garlic as a grasshopper repellant.
However, my guess is that the grasshoppers asphixiated themselves, since
they breathe through spiracles in their legs and the butter probably
clogged them up pretty good.

-- Salty

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 21:59:54 GMT, John Hall
wrote:

Yesterday I heard (from an acquaintance of a friend, so cannot vouch
for the veracity, merely relate it as told to me) that someone near
here accidentally dropped a container of garlic butter, which popped
open and splattered the contents on the ground. He was amazed to see,
several minutes later, hundreds of grasshoppers eagerly eating it.

He was even more amazed to see, about fifteen minutes later, hundreds
of dead grasshoppers. Apparently the Alberta Agricultural Research
organisation (IIRC) is following up on this.

Is this an Old Wives' tale, or an Urban/Rural Legend?

It won't cost anyone much to try this out.

Well, i dont know, but orange wedges will bring crickets..

"John Hall" wrote in message
news
Yesterday I heard (from an acquaintance of a friend, so cannot vouch
for the veracity, merely relate it as told to me) that someone near
here accidentally dropped a container of garlic butter, which popped
open and splattered the contents on the ground. He was amazed to see,
several minutes later, hundreds of grasshoppers eagerly eating it.

He was even more amazed to see, about fifteen minutes later, hundreds
of dead grasshoppers. Apparently the Alberta Agricultural Research
organisation (IIRC) is following up on this.

Is this an Old Wives' tale, or an Urban/Rural Legend?

It won't cost anyone much to try this out.

--
John W Hall
Cochrane, Alberta, Canada.
"Helping People Prosper in the Information Age"

I crossposted this to a relevant ng in hopes that someone there may know.
Hope no one minds too much.

Fito

Approximately 8/18/03 22:44, Fito uttered for posterity:

"John Hall" wrote in message
news
Yesterday I heard (from an acquaintance of a friend, so cannot vouch
for the veracity, merely relate it as told to me) that someone near
here accidentally dropped a container of garlic butter, which popped
open and splattered the contents on the ground. He was amazed to see,
several minutes later, hundreds of grasshoppers eagerly eating it.

He was even more amazed to see, about fifteen minutes later, hundreds
of dead grasshoppers. Apparently the Alberta Agricultural Research
organisation (IIRC) is following up on this.

Is this an Old Wives' tale, or an Urban/Rural Legend?

It won't cost anyone much to try this out.

--
John W Hall
Cochrane, Alberta, Canada.
"Helping People Prosper in the Information Age"

I crossposted this to a relevant ng in hopes that someone there may know.
Hope no one minds too much.


There are organic gardening sites claiming that garlic
extract spray has some deterrent effect on grasshoppers,
however the effect doesn't appear to be toxic. Merely
that the non-gourmand grasshoppers would be encouraged
to seek other foods. Strongly suspect that this tactic
is useless on italian and/or asian grasshoppers.

There *are* several recipes for sauteing the little buggers
in garlic butter.

Lon Stowell wrote in
:

Approximately 8/18/03 22:44, Fito uttered for posterity:

"John Hall" wrote in message
news
Yesterday I heard (from an acquaintance of a friend, so
cannot vouch for the veracity, merely relate it as told to
me) that someone near here accidentally dropped a container
of garlic butter, which popped open and splattered the
contents on the ground. He was amazed to see, several minutes
later, hundreds of grasshoppers eagerly eating it.

He was even more amazed to see, about fifteen minutes later,
hundreds of dead grasshoppers. Apparently the Alberta
Agricultural Research organisation (IIRC) is following up on
this.

snip
--
John W Hall
Cochrane, Alberta, Canada.
"Helping People Prosper in the Information Age"

I crossposted this to a relevant ng in hopes that someone
there may know. Hope no one minds too much.


There are organic gardening sites claiming that garlic
extract spray has some deterrent effect on grasshoppers,
however the effect doesn't appear to be toxic. Merely
that the non-gourmand grasshoppers would be encouraged
to seek other foods. Strongly suspect that this tactic
is useless on italian and/or asian grasshoppers.

There *are* several recipes for sauteing the little buggers
in garlic butter.


Maybe the poster's friend's buddy didn't see the giant saute pan...

--
Tea"Prefer them coated in dark chocolat, so I can't see them"Lady

"Stated to me for a fact. I only tell it as I got it. I am
willing to believe it. I can believe anything." Sam Clemens

Mari Conroy

"John Hall" wrote in message
news
Yesterday I heard (from an acquaintance of a friend, so cannot vouch
for the veracity, merely relate it as told to me) that someone near
here accidentally dropped a container of garlic butter, which popped
open and splattered the contents on the ground. He was amazed to see,
several minutes later, hundreds of grasshoppers eagerly eating it.

He was even more amazed to see, about fifteen minutes later, hundreds
of dead grasshoppers. Apparently the Alberta Agricultural Research
organisation (IIRC) is following up on this.

Is this an Old Wives' tale, or an Urban/Rural Legend?

Sorry to say 'tis a tale, grasshoppers are known for their unrelenting
appetite of honey dijon mustard, not garlic butter.

!;^)

Lon Stowell wrote:

There are organic gardening sites claiming that garlic
extract spray has some deterrent effect on grasshoppers,
however the effect doesn't appear to be toxic. Merely
that the non-gourmand grasshoppers would be encouraged
to seek other foods. Strongly suspect that this tactic
is useless on italian and/or asian grasshoppers.

How about invoking St. Urho?

There *are* several recipes for sauteing the little buggers
in garlic butter.

Garlic Butter Fried Grasshoppers
1/4 cup butter
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup cleaned insects*
Melt butter in fry pan. Reduce heat. Sauté garlic in butter for 5
minutes. Add insects. Continue sautéing for 10 - 15
minutes, stirring occasionally. From Orkin
http://www.faculty.de.gcsu.edu/~cbad...thinsects.html

Charles Wm. "every thread is a food thread" Dimmick

--

"And some rin up hill and down dale, knapping the
chucky stanes to pieces wi' hammers, like sae mony
road-makers run daft -- they say it is to see how
the warld was made!"

On Mon, 25 Aug 2003 00:10:50 GMT, "Charles Wm. Dimmick"
wrote:

Lon Stowell wrote:

There are organic gardening sites claiming that garlic
extract spray has some deterrent effect on grasshoppers,
however the effect doesn't appear to be toxic. Merely
that the non-gourmand grasshoppers would be encouraged
to seek other foods. Strongly suspect that this tactic
is useless on italian and/or asian grasshoppers.

How about invoking St. Urho?


Ode to Saint Urho
by Gene McCavic and Richard Mattson
Virginia, Minnesota

Ooksi kooksi coolama vee
Santia Urho is ta poy for me!
He sase out ta hoppers as pig as pirds.
Neffer peefor haff I hurd tose words!

He reely tolt tose pugs of kreen
Braffest Finn I effer seen
Some celebrate for St. Pat unt hiss nakes
Putt Urho poyka kot what it takes.

He kot tall and trong from feelia sour
Unt ate kala moyakka effery hour.
Tat's why tat kuy could sase toes peetles
What krew as thick as chack bine neetles.

So let's give a cheer in hower pest vay
On Sixteenth of March, St. Urho's Tay.



************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *