What was the worst locust plague?
The 2019–2021 locust infestation is a pest outbreak of desert locusts which is threatening the food supply across the regions of East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian subcontinent. The outbreak is the worst in 70 years in Kenya and the worst in 25 years in Ethiopia, Somalia and India.
How do you fix the plague of locusts?
The FAO has recommended the use of a fungus called Metarhizium anisopliae, which kills locusts by growing inside their bodies. It is cheaper than other methods, more effective, longer-lasting in the deserts, easier to store and is recommended for use before the nymphs begin to fly.
What causes locust plague?
Sudden rainfall, for example, could help feed a growing population and cause flooding that corrals locusts together and attract more locusts to join. What starts as a small group can turn into a thrumming swarm of thousands, millions or even billions of locusts.
When did the locust plague start 2020?
February 2020: Locust swarms threaten to damage the crops of five countries in the region. 2018: Two cyclones bring heavy rains to the Arabian desert and help locusts breed freely.
What are locust plagues?
Related to grasshoppers, these insects form enormous swarms that spread across regions, devouring crops and leaving serious agricultural damage in their wake. Plagues of locusts have devastated societies since the Pharaohs led ancient Egypt, and they still wreak havoc today.
What country is having problems with locust?
In 2020, locusts have swarmed in large numbers in dozens of countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia, Eritrea, India, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Oman and Saudi Arabia. When swarms affect several countries at once in very large numbers, it is known as a plague.
Is there a plague of locusts?
Were there locusts in 2020?
Is the locust plague really a horror show?
It is a veritable horror show. In some ways, this is actually a story from ancient times. Locusts are a pest that have plagued farmers for more than a millenia, or basically as long as humanity can remember.
When was the last locust plague in Africa?
The last major locust plague is said to have hit North Africa and the Middle East between 1986 to 1989, and if the right control measures are not taken this time around, this scourge could also last as long. What can humans do about it? We can educate ourselves and take action.
How can we get rid of the locust plague?
According to experts in the field, the only fast and effective way to get rid of the current locust plagues is to spray the land and crops with pesticides. Reports indicate that some countries being attacked are presently doing this.
Where are the locusts in the world now?
The bugs are now spreading elsewhere. Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Yemen, and Kenya have all been battling the locusts recently, as have countries in the Persian Gulf. These include Kuwait, Iran, Bahrain, and Qatar. India and Pakistan are also dealing with the plague.
