Grasshoppers, including locusts, and katydids are some of the most destructive pests in the world. Because they typically feed on a wide range of plants and migrate into cereal crops, consistent monitoring over vast areas is required to provide sufficient warning of population outbreaks. The long term cycling of populations can also result in relaxation of surveying efforts and loss of key knowledge, which challenge efforts to restore control during increases in population abundance. Diet is an important determinant of migratory behavior en masse, and diet also plays an important role in the insects’ defenses against microbes. Microbial application for locust control, in particular, is expanding. Understanding basic biology, improved outreach to remote areas for surveying, and tracking of migratory movements will all assist in improving forecasting and suppression of pest Orthoptera. Long distance movement of the pests makes national and international funding and coordination paramount for global food security.