Manitoba Agriculture has released its grasshopper forecast for the upcoming growing season.

The risk of economical populations of grasshoppers developing in 2018 overall is low.

However, if weather is favourable for grasshopper survival and development, there may be localized areas where the insect is a concern to crops.

When they have the opportunity, farmers and agronomists are encouraged to monitor grasshopper populations along roadsides, field edges, and other areas where populations tend to be concentrated or at high levels early in the season.

Monitoring should begin in late-May or June.