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The red objects are mites, possibly in the family Trombiculidae. The nymphs commonly attach at the bases of the grasshoppers' wings (see http://tinyurl.com/ld8znr), where they feed (reportedly, the mites have little if any effect on the grasshoppers). When mature, they drop off and seek out the underground egg pods of the grasshoppers, where they will feed on and destroy the eggs therein. Unfortunately, they do not appear to have a significant impact on grasshopper populations.
Well, darn it! Thanks for the information, though. A couple of years ago I had a parasitic wasp attack the tomato hornworms and pretty much wipe them out. I was hoping something like that might be the case here. It used to be grasshoppers had a cycle of 5 or 6 years, but with the warm winters and the birds pretty much gone, they are a constant threat.
