Bright green grasshoppers are popping up all over Arkansas, leaving many wondering why these little guys have come up in a swarm. University of Arkansas Extension entomologist Gus Lorenz has some answers.

Bright green grasshoppers are popping up all over Arkansas, leaving many wondering why these little guys have come up in a swarm. University of Arkansas Extension entomologist Gus Lorenz has some answers.

"Grasshoppers have had all season to build up in numbers and as we go into the fall the numbers have continually increased over the summer 'til we're at that point," Lorenz said.

And it's not just that. Arkansas has provided the perfect forecast for the tiny critters.

"You start out with a cool fall or a cool spring and then you go into the summer and temperatures were extremely high, which increases their growth rate," Lorenz said.

If you're worried about them affecting gardens or crops, this one isn't much of a pest.

"What we call the longhorn grasshopper and you can see the antenna," Lorenz said.

It actually is somewhat helpful because it eats grass and pesky bugs.

"They have some predatory characteristics. They feed on like rice stink bug eggs and rice, they're very helpful to us in that situation," Lorenz said.

However, they may be around for a while.

"They're more of a nuisance issue this time of year because they're so thick," Lorenz said.

Their life cycle is longer than most insects. But once it gets cold they'll likely be hiding out of site.