The fig tree has now had its cage removed, and after two weeks, it's untouched by the hoppers. It too is in the garden just south of the house. I don't dare let Anna out of the cage yet, but the hopper population in this area has declined so that I only see one now and then.
Even in the orchard where the chickens don't go often, there are fewer hoppers now. I think the frequent rains we've had have helped to clear them out. They tend to get fungal infections when the weather is damp. I applied Tangle Foot to two of the cages in the orchard, and they are hopper-free this morning. There were no hoppers caught in the Tangle Foot. It looks as though it discourages them from even trying to get in.
I believe I'll lose at least two of the fruit trees, but they were sickly little things to begin with, purchased from Lowe's. It was a mistake to buy trees there. I should have known better. I ordered the other fruit trees from Bay Laurel Nursery http://baylaurelnursery.com/ . They were in excellent condition when I planted them, and although the grasshopper event certainly has not been good for them, I'm pretty sure they will recover and grow into big, healthy trees. I highly recommend Bay Laurel Nursery.
The photo was shot from the top, looking down on the new leaves.
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