Here’s Why You’re Seeing So Many Grasshoppers in El Paso

I live out in the Eastlake area and this past weekend my sister asked me if I had noticed an increase in grasshoppers in our neighborhood. I told her no… but I may have spoken too soon because the following day those creepy little insects would soon start invading my space.

I started seeing more grasshoppers in the east side of town, and then I saw a post on facebook from a friend that asked, “Is it me or is there more grasshoppers in El Paso compared to years prior.” A lot of people commented agreeing and then I came across another post from a friend asking “Why are there so many damn grasshoppers everywhere lately?!” 

So I knew I needed to get to the bottom of this because if grasshoppers are taking over the world… I NEED TO WARN EVERYONE!! So I asked a professional: Doppler Dave Speelman!

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Why Are There So Many Grasshoppers in El Paso? Blame the Weather

The Borderland is currently dealing with a full-on grasshopper boom, and according to local meteorologist Doppler Dave, it all comes down to one thing: the weather.

“We had more rain than usual this late winter and spring,” he explained to me, “which brings out more grass which is basically an all-you-can-eat buffet for grasshoppers.” Add in the unusually warm temperatures, and you’ve got the perfect setup for rapid egg-laying and development. In other words, they didn’t just survive… they thrived!!

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The Internet Agrees With Doppler Dave (Duh!)

Before I asked doppler I did some extra investigation (aka asked the internet) and according to online sources, experts say 2026 created what’s essentially a “perfect storm” for grasshopper populations. First came the extra rainfall, which led to lush vegetation (aka food supply). Then came warm, dry conditions, speeding up the life cycle from egg to full-grown jumper way faster than usual.

Even the winter played a role. Fewer freezes meant more eggs survived, leading to an even bigger population explosion once spring hit. Basically… nature said, “Let’s multiply.”

So when you factor in all those things it leads to a huge number of grasshoppers spilling into neighborhoods as vegetation dries out and they go looking for their next meal.

The good news: this grasshopper invasion isn’t forever

These outbreaks usually follow a 2–3 year cycle, meaning numbers should peak around late spring and start dropping as predators (like birds) catch up and natural conditions balance things out.

So, grasshoppers are not taking over the world, but for now expect to see more of them around town. Hey, maybe invite them over to the carne asada. Grasshoppers have feelings too!!