Catching Grasshoppers With A Hopper Net

This hopper net was inspired by the Laotian fella in my previous article...

 http://gourmetbugs.blogspot.com/2012/02/trapping-catching-live-insects.html

I have the hopper net built. It's not very pretty though so I might show it later in a picture and I might not haha!  Here is some art though with tutorial on what was done to make it.

Can't really make the net without first knowing the size of bag one will have to make use of. So I have a fairly large bag but mis-judged in forming the net hoop so it's not a perfect fit.  Anyway, find a big plastic bag and go from there.

The item in the above picture on the right is how I formed the bag.  Cut the lower portion at angles on the sides, forming a funnel or cone shape and sealed with a seal-a-meal, a little at a time until each seam was complete.

At the bottom I left an opening large enough for a wide mouth mason jar ring to fit inside.  A cylinder of vinyl window screen was formed, also in the seal-a-meal so it would fit on the jar ring. Both the screen cylinder and bottom bag opening were fastened around the jar ring with zip ties and then taped with duct tape to make sure they stay attached.

Could probably have drilled alot of holes in a plastic jar and attached it.  Whatever is used, we need something there to allow air to pass through while working the net so hoppers will be forced into the bottom of the net.

The net handle is a section of 1" aluminum tubing that was a net for cleaning out swimming pools at one time.  The hoop was formed from a length of flexible plastic water service tubing.  The plastic and aluminum tubing are gathered into a length of 2" PVC water pipe to hold it all together and the void filled with expanding foam in a can to make it tight.  The plastic bag net was attached to the hoop with duct tape strips, completely as possible around the hoop.

The net handle extends to the top of the hoop and is fastened with two screws to give the hoop support while working the net.  The whole thing might weigh 2 pounds at the most.  Very light and easy to swing through the grass but it's still too cold for hoppers to be out.  I'm ready for them though. :)