Current outbreaks

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Species to watch

At any given time a locust outbreak is likely to be happening somewhere in the world. Locusts are a special type of grasshopper whose outbreaks occur sporadically throughout much of the world and require extensive coordination to manage successfully. For some countries in Africa, the Middle East, South, and Southeast Asia, and South America, recent outbreaks are the worst seen in many decades. Each locust species has a unique set of biological traits and a distinct geographic range that span a landscape of cultural, political, and ecological diversity. As highly mobile pests, they also link distant regions together in feedback loops of human and ecological processes. As such, finding solutions to more sustainably manage these formidable pests requires approaches that consider this complexity and coordinate broadly across disciplines and countries. For a full list of situation bulletins click here

Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera)

Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera)

The Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) is widespread on the mainland of Australia and known as the most economically significant locust species, attributed to both the extent and frequency of its outbreaks, along with its ability to produce multiple generations in a year. It is also the only locust species restricted to Australia. Ecologically, C. terminifera primarily inhabits grasslands and semi-arid regions. They are polyphagous, feeding on various grasses and crops, which often leads to significant agricultural damage during outbreaks.

Species profile • Situation bulletins • Organizations associated with the Australian plague locust

Brown locust (Locustana pardalina)

Brown locust (Locustana pardalina)

The brown locust (Locustana pardalina) is a significant and frequent agricultural pest in Southern Africa . Its main breeding and outbreak area is the semi-arid Karoo region which includes parts of South Africa and Namibia. A notable outbreak in 1985–86 cost South Africa an equivalent of 25 million USD. Since then, regular outbreaks continue to cost millions of dollars to manage.

Species profile • Situation bulletins • Organizations associated with the brown locust

Central American locust (Schistocerca piceifrons)

Central American locust (Schistocerca piceifrons)

The Central American Locust is a well-known swarming locust with two subspecies (Schistocerca piceifrons piceifrons and Schistocerca piceifrons peruviana). S. p. piceifrons is one of the most harmful agricultural pests from southern Mexico to northern Costa Rica where at least 50,000 ha are treated annually.

Species profile • Situation bulletins • Organizations associated with the Central American locust

Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria)

Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria)

The desert locust Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål, 1775), distributed from Mauritania to India is considered the most dangerous of all migratory pests. Because of their extraordinary traits of gregariousness, mobility, voracity, and the sheer size of their swarms, which can reach hundreds of millions of individuals in a single congregation , this species has plagued farmers for millennia. The desert locust is known for its highly polyphagous nature, especially during the gregarious phase. This voracious species consumes not only natural vegetation but also a wide variety of food crops. When they swarm, they have the ability to decimate extensive areas of crops, leaving them completely defoliated, while their sheer weight can cause tree branches to break under their relentless onslaught . Today the desert locust impacts over 60 countries. In 2019–2021 a major outbreak caused extensive damage in the Greater Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of southwest Asia. By August 2021, over 2.2 million hectares of land has been treated to control the desert locust and The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) calculates interventions saved USD 1.7 billion in crop and milk production.

Species profile • Situation bulletins • Organizations associated with the desert locust

Italian locust (Calliptamus italicus)

Italian locust (Calliptamus italicus)

The Italian locust (Calliptamus italicus) is found throughout western Europe and central Asia. This species has been reported as a pest since medieval times and outbreaks still occur commonly today. In the Siberian steppe this locust can reach densities of over 20 million individuals per hectare.

Species profile • Situation bulletins • Organizations associated with the Italian locust

Migratory locust (Locusta migratoria)

Migratory locust (Locusta migratoria)

The migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) is a notorious agricultural pest and the most widely distributed grasshopper species in the world. It is present across the entire temperate and the tropics of the Eastern Hemisphere. In China, records of the migratory locust plagues go back to 200 BC. Today it is the second most important locust pest (after the desert locust) and one of the most important agricultural pests in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.

Species profile • Situation bulletins • Organizations associated with the migratory locust

Moroccan locust (Dociostaurus maroccanus)

Moroccan locust (Dociostaurus maroccanus)

The Moroccan Locust was potentially the species whose spectacular plagues were described in the Bible. In modern times, crop damage from these insects has been reported in more than 25 countries although it is generally decreasing, likely because croplands are replacing locust habitat.

Species profile • Situation bulletins • Organizations associated with their management

Red locust (Nomadacris septemfasciata)

Red locust (Nomadacris septemfasciata)

The Red locust (Nomadacris septemfasciata) is found in sub-Saharan Africa. The last great invasion (1929–1944) affected most African countries south of the equator. Today its outbreaks are frequent but mostly limited to specific grasslands and seasonal floodplains located in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and a lesser extent in southern Madagascar. Important breeding areas are the central Niger delta in Mali and the southern shores of Lake Chad. A large outbreak occurred between 1994 and 1996, and more recently in 2009 costing 2 million USD at the time.

Species profile • Situation bulletins • Organizations associated with their management

South American locust (Schistocerca cancellata)

South American locust (Schistocerca cancellata)

After 60 years of recession, a large upsurge of the South American locust (Schistocerca cancellata) began in 2015, spurring states of national emergency in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil and a necessitating the re-development of management infrastructure on the continent.

Species profile • Situation bulletins • Organizations associated with their management