Quck answer
Desert locusts are the most destructive migratory pests in the world, capable of devouring crops and vegetation in a matter of hours. Swarms of locusts can travel up to 150 km per day, and can contain billions of insects. The current locust plague in East Africa is the worst in decades, affecting millions of people and threatening food security. The causes of the outbreak include climate change, conflict, and lack of resources for locust control. Efforts are underway to combat the swarm, including aerial spraying of pesticides and early warning systems to track the insects’ movements.
Wild Animals
Locusts are not welcome in the ancient world. Some of the earliest literature in Egypt, China, and the Near East described invasions of grasshoppers brought in by the east wind after rainfall. They could destroy crops for the whole year in just a few hours, leading to famine. Desert locusts (Schistocerca gregaria) are a type of grasshopper that breed and live in areas ranging from West Africa (Senegal, Mauritania, and Morocco) to the Horn of Africa, the Near East, and even western India. They can live alone, but they can also swarm, gathering in large groups and moving in unison like a school of fish or a pack of dogs.
Physical contact with each other triggers the instinct to search for vegetation together, causing their bodies to change. Gregarious desert locusts change color (from tan to yellow and black) and increase muscle mass when they swarm. They even start eating toxic plants, which they would never have done alone. A swarm of locusts can grow to an astonishing size of 150 million locusts per 0.3 square miles (1 square kilometer), with a group that size consuming as much in one day as about 35,000 people. Because desert locusts feed on vegetation, they have historically been a nuisance to anyone who eats plants or grazes animals in the same general area where the locust swarm is.
They are also alarmingly efficient breeders, producing between two and five generations of locusts each year, depending on weather conditions.
“Unusually good rains or severe weather events such as cyclones maintain favorable breeding conditions for up to six months,” says Keith Cressman, senior locust forecasting officer for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in an email. “These conditions can be sufficient for two generations of breeding, giving rise to about a 400-fold increase in locusts—a generation is about three months, and with each generation, there is a 20-fold increase in locust numbers.”
Modern Locust Plagues
Despite the fact that locust plagues may seem like something only people in ancient times had to worry about, the 21st century is experiencing its fair share of them. However, as 2020 has seen the most destructive outbreak in 25 years, scientists are investigating why locusts are multiplying.
“The short-term evidence of the past decade indicates an increasing frequency of cyclones in the Indian Ocean — particularly in the past few years — are to blame,” says Cressman. “In 2019, there were eight cyclones when normally there are none or only one in a single year. Cyclones are important because they have caused locust plagues in the past — the last being in 1967. Therefore, if this trend continues, then it is likely there will be increased locust upsurges in the Horn of Africa like we are witnessing now.”
The Toll of the Locusts on Human Livelihood
Desert locust upsurges can affect farmers or those who raise livestock for their livelihoods—this includes between 75 and 80 percent of the population in Ethiopia and Kenya. Children are often withdrawn from school to assist in protecting family farms from locusts, and locust swarms can lead to family debt: according to Cressman, 60 percent of household heads in Mauritania in Northwest Africa went into personal debt due to the locust swarms there between 2003 and 2005.
Locust outbreaks can result in food insecurity as they feed on crops and forage, which can lead to a decline in milk production and nutrition, especially for children.
In response to locust outbreaks, various ideas have been suggested, including releasing ducks into affected areas, burning tires, and using pesticides. However, with the increasing impact of climate change, it is important to establish and maintain strong national locust units within the Ministry of Agriculture to monitor and prevent emergency situations. These units must be autonomous and have sufficient resources, staff, and equipment.
What Governments Can Do About Locusts
Locusts were one of the 10 plagues that visited Egypt in the biblical Book of Exodus.
FAQ
1. What is a locust plague?
A locust plague is a massive outbreak of desert grasshoppers, also known as locusts, that can devastate crops and cause widespread famine. When conditions are favorable, these normally solitary insects gather in large swarms and become highly destructive.
2. What causes a locust plague?
A locust plague is usually caused by a combination of factors, including drought, heavy rainfall, and changes in wind patterns. When these conditions occur, desert grasshoppers breed rapidly and form large swarms that can travel long distances in search of food.
3. How do locusts affect agriculture?
Locusts can cause significant damage to crops, consuming entire fields of crops in a matter of hours. This can lead to food shortages and famine in affected areas. In addition, the cost of controlling a locust plague can be very high, as pesticides and other control measures can be expensive.
4. How do farmers and governments try to control locust plagues?
There are several methods that farmers and governments use to control locust plagues. One method is to use pesticides to kill the insects. Another method is to use biological control measures, such as introducing predators or parasites that feed on the locusts. Additionally, farmers may use cultural control methods, such as planting crops that are less attractive to locusts or planting crops in a way that makes them more difficult for the insects to access.
5. Can locust plagues be predicted?
Scientists can often predict when a locust plague is likely to occur based on weather patterns and other environmental factors. This allows farmers and governments to prepare and take action to prevent or control the outbreak.
6. How long can a locust plague last?
The length of a locust plague can vary depending on the severity of the outbreak and the effectiveness of control measures. In some cases, plagues may last for several months or even years before they are brought under control.
7. What is being done to prevent future locust plagues?
Efforts are underway to prevent future locust plagues by improving early warning systems, developing more effective control measures, and promoting sustainable farming practices that reduce the risk of outbreaks. In addition, research is being conducted to better understand the biology and behavior of desert grasshoppers in order to develop more targeted and effective control strategies.
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