Is Nolo Bait™ safe to use in my organic garden?

YES! Nolo Bait™ is NOP compliant and has the “Approved for Organic Production” symbol front and center on the label now.

Will Nolo Bait™ hurt my dog, cat, birds or other pets?

NO! The active disease organism in Nolo Bait™ is host specific to grasshoppers and Mormon crickets. Mormon crickets are actually a species of grasshopper. Any other non-target insect, bird, mammal or reptile that ingests the bait or eats an infected grasshopper will not be affected. The disease organism will pass through their digestive system without becoming active.

How should I apply Nolo Bait™?

Nolo Bait™ is a dry, flaky wheat bran bait. Any dry spreader such as a “Whirly Bird” can be used or it can easily be applied by hand.

Where should I apply Nolo Bait™?

Apply Nolo Bait™ along the perimeter of your yard or property, anywhere there is tall grass and along weedy ditch banks. If possible, let the grasses/weeds at the outer margins of your yard grow taller and apply the bait there. This may reduce the number of grasshoppers migrating into your yard/garden area. In gardens or flowerbeds it is best to make bait stations to hold the bait and/or to spread the bait beneath and between the plants. This will help you to avoid drawing additional grasshoppers into the area while allowing those already present to feed on it. Bait stations can be made from anything that will protect the bait from rain and sun. Empty tins cans with both ends cut out work well and can be placed in the shade of the plants on the ground. Keeping these bait stations available will entice grasshoppers to fill up on bait rather than plant material.

When should I apply Nolo Bait™?

Morning is best as grasshoppers will do most of their feeding in the morning but late afternoon is good too. Though you may see them around, grasshoppers don’t feed as heavily during the heat of the day. Avoid applying Nolo Bait™ when rain is forecast within the next 4-6 hours or if dew is still present on the grass.

How much Nolo Bait™ should I put out and how often?

The minimum application rate is 1 pound per acre, per application. This is based on grasshopper densities of 8 grasshoppers per square yard. Nolo Bait™ can be applied as often as every few days to once a week and can be concentrated in areas of heaviest grasshopper infestation. Consumption of a higher number of spores per grasshopper will increase efficacy and decrease the amount of time required to kill the grasshoppers. Therefore, where faster population reduction is required, this may be achieved through multiple applications or a higher application rate in order to increase the amount of bait available to each grasshopper.

How fast does Nolo Bait™ work?

First instars or new hatchlings will die quickly, usually within a day or two of eating it. Older, larger hoppers won’t die as quickly but will become slow, lethargic and reduce their feeding. Nolo Bait™ is a long-term suppression product. It will reduce the feeding and reproductive capabilities of the grasshoppers that ingest it. In turn, these grasshoppers are often cannibalized by healthy hoppers that have migrated in and thus the disease spreads into the population. Successive use each season will result in fewer and fewer eggs being laid and fewer grasshoppers surviving until spring.

How can I tell if Nolo Bait™ is working?

Infected hoppers will be slower to hop and may fall over upon landing. Often they are reluctant to hop at all. Their eyes become cloudy instead of dark brown and the abdomens of sick hoppers will become whiter as well. Dead, partially cannibalized grasshoppers may be found clinging to stalks of grass/weeds. New hatchlings that ingested the bait die quickly and are rarely seen as they are readily consumed by other grasshoppers, insects, birds and reptiles. Due to the nature of this product (i.e. microsporidial pathogen), efficacy may be affected by such factors as weather, grasshopper population densities and insect migration.

What if my Nolo Bait™ gets wet?

Water does not harm the disease spore but the wheat bran becomes soggy and less attractive to the grasshoppers. Avoid putting out the bait if rain is forecast.

How should I store my Nolo Bait™ if necessary?

Optimal storage is 42 degrees F in a dry location. We are committed to providing you with the highest quality ingredients in our grasshopper bait, freshly formulated upon order. Our spore is regularly tested to guarantee its viability. This insures that our product will remain 100% active in cool, dry storage conditions for up to 13 weeks from the date of formulation.