Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria)
| Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) | |
|---|---|
| Desert locust | |
 | |
| Taxonomy | |
| Family: | Acrididae |
| Subfamily: | Cyrtacanthacridinae |
| Genus: | Schistocerca |
| Additional resources | |
| Full taxonomy at OSF | |
The desert locust Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål, 1775), distributed from Mauritania to India is considered the most dangerous of all migratory pests. [1] 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 [2], this species has plagued farmers for millennia. The desert locust is known for its highly polyphagous nature, especially during the gregarious phase.[3] 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 [4]. 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.[5]
Nomenclature
Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål, 1775). For full nomenclature, see this taxon's page on Orthoptera Species File
Identification
Has a posternal tubercle (a small knob-like protrusion) between front legs. Tegmina (thick front wing of an orthopteran) marked with large irregular spots. Pronotum (saddle-shaped structure behind the head) is not crested, is more condensed and prominent saddle shape in gregarious phase. [6]
| Phase | Stage | Color | Body length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gregarious | nymph (1st - 2nd instar) | black | |
| Gregarious | nymph (3rd to 4th instar) | yellow with black | |
| Solitarious | nymph | green | |
| Gregarious | immature adult | pink | |
| Gregarious | mature adult | yellow | |
| Solitarious | adult | sandy, grey or brown, common light colored median stripe on the pronotum [6] |
Identification resources
Distribution
Recession zone: 16 million km2 from the Atlantic Ocean to NW India. Invasion zone: 29 million km2 including all of N Africa, parts of the Iberian peninsula, all Middle East countries north to S Russia, most of India, E. Africa as far as 10 degrees S, and central and W Africa south to the equatorial forests. [6]
Swarms bred during the summer often migrate from the Sahel of West Africa and Sudan to Northwest Africa, or from Sudan to the Red Sea coast. Swarms bred in the winter migrate from the Red Sea coastal plains to the interior of Saudi Arabia or Sudan. Spring-bred swarms can migrate from the interior of Arabia to Sudan and West Africa, or from the Horn of Africa to the Indo-Pakistan border.[7]
For more information and distribution records see [GBIF]
Biology
| Phase | Developmental time |
|---|---|
| Eggs | 10-65 days |
| Hopper | 24-95 days (36 days average) |
| Adult | 2.5-5 months |
| Laying-fledging | 40-50 days |
| Adult maturation | 3 weeks-9 months (2-4 months average) |
| Total | 2-6 month |
- Exhibits phase polyphenism most sensitive to changes in population density
- Rapid phase transformation from solitarious to gregarious and vice versa
Habitat and ecology
The desert locust is highly adapted to live in arid environments. Their swarms typically originate in uninhabited desert regions across North Africa, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. During times of recession, the desert locust lives in the arid and semi-arid habitat stretching from the west coast of Africa to northwest India with an average annual rainfall of roughly 0–400 mm. [9]
Rainfall plays an important role in understanding the population dynamics and behavior of the desert locust. Eggs need to absorb their weight in water from the soil during the first days of incubation to allow complete development. [6] Breeding occurs one month after rainfall of 20-25 mm of rain that supplies the vegetation hoppers need to grow. [6] Sandy soil is preferred for oviposition sites. Although rainfall tends to fall seasonally, it is sporadic, varying as much as 70% above of below average, [9] Outbreak areas arise as a result of rainfall events, subsequent vegetation, and temperature. After a substantial rainfall event somewhere in the recession zone, locusts seize the opportunity and multiply rapidly. Under ideal conditions, locusts can increase 16-20 times every three months after a new generation of breeding. [7] Gregarization can occur as large numbers of locusts concentrate on patches of green vegetation (intensified as moisture drys and vegetation becomes sparse) increasing physical contact and initiating hopper bands or adult swarms that behave as a cohesive unit. If more rains come, populations can explode, producing two or more successive generations. [7] Interestingly, virgin females of this species have the ability to produce female offspring parthenogenetically. [10]
Desert locust hoppers can eat their body weight daily, starting at 20 mg in the first instar to around 1.5 g in the middle of the fifth instar. [6] Migrating immature adults need to eat 2-3 g per day and up to three times as much. Although mature adult consumption declines (less in females), a swarm often has 50 million individuals per square kilometer, translating to a moderate swarm of 10 km2 would eat ~1000 tonnes of vegetation daily on migration.[6]
Land-use / climate change
Climate change and the desert locust FAO information
The anticipated responses of the solitarious ranges of the two desert locust subspecies are expected to differ.[4] The widely recognized northern subspecies (S. gregaria gregaria) may experience contraction in certain regions, whereas the less investigated southern subspecies (S. gregaria flaviventris) is projected to undergo expansion (Meynard et al. 2017). This study underscores that although S. g. flaviventris has infrequently experienced outbreaks in the past, it represents a subspecies that could potentially pose a future threat.[4]
Pest status
Recent outbreaks
For millennia, humans have feared desert locusts for their potential to devastate crops. The first records appear in 2420 BC on Egyptian tombs. [11] They continue to be a major threat to agriculture, although the frequency and duration of plagues have decreased due to the introduction of chemical pesticides, advancements in transportation and infrastructure, and technology related to communications, geopositioning, spatial analysis, remote sensing, and early warning, all components of preventative control. [12] [7]
Five major plagues occurred in the first 60 years of the twentieth century, lasting as long as fourteen years. [7] 1861–67, 1869–81, 1889–1910, 1912–19, 1926–34, 1940–48, 1949–63, 1967–1968 , 1978[6], and 1986–1989. A plague is defined as a period of one or more years of widespread and heavy infestations, predominately as hopper bands and swarms. A severe plague is when two or more regions are affected simultaneously. [7]
Upsurges in 1972–1974, 1987–1989, 1992–1994, 1994–1996, 1996–1998, 2004–2005, and 2019–2021)
An upsurge is defined as a large increase in locust numbers and simultaneous outbreaks followed by two or more successive generations of gregarious breeding. [7]
Outbreaks 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018
2003–2005 Plague
Cost over $500 million USD to control [13] 80–100% crop losses in regions like Sub- Saharan Africa. [2]
An outbreak is an increase in locusts on a local scale caused by concurrent concentration, multiplication, and gregarization [14]
2019–2021 upsurge
http://www.fao.org/ag/locusts/en/info/2094/web18/index.html
For some countries in the Greater Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of southwest Asia, the 2019-2021 desert locust upsurge was the worst seen in seventy years, affecting 2.5 million people in 2020 and at least another 1 million in early 2021.[15] The situation spread to eight African countries, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania. India and Pakistan were impacted as well as the Middle Eastern countries of Omen, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar.[16]
Click here for a full page on this outbreak
Two cyclones in 2018, May Cyclone Mekunu and October Cyclone Luban brought heavy rains to the Empty Quarter on the Arabian Peninsula. These unusually conducive weather conditions allowed at least three generations of locust breeding that went undetected and developed into the 2019-2021 upsurge. Swarms moved into Saudi Arabia, southern Iran, and southwest to the interior of Yemen from January to March 2019. In June, two generations of spring breeding spread to the Horn of Africa and to the Indo-Pakistan border. Heavy monsoon rains encouraged three more generations in the Indo-Pakistan area while two generations proliferated in the northern Horn of Africa. At the end of 2019, Cyclone Pawan in northeast Somalia brought rain to sustain two more generations of breeding that moved into Kenya. [16]
In 2020, locusts spread within the Horn of Africa and into East Africa, reaching southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, northeast Uganda, southeast South Sudan, and northeast D.R. Congo. Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia were the most severely impacted. Aerial and ground control operations continued against widespread swarm laying, hatchlings, and numerous hopper bands throughout northern and central Kenya and southern Ethiopia.[16]
New swarms formed in northern Somalia and Kenya. Several swarms were present in Yemen and some moved into Saudi Arabia. In February 2020, swarms appeared in Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and 22 swarms arrived in southern Iran, where locusts quickly matured and laid eggs. Residual summer-bred swarms were present in Rajasthan, India, and laid eggs in areas of Punjab, Pakistan.[16]
2021
During the dry season in East Africa, desert locust swarms remained immature for several months longer than usual. Infestations declined by mid-March due to control operations, the absence of rains and further maturing in Ethiopia and Kenya. The same swarm was reported six times in Kenya, giving the false impression of greater swarm activity. However, new immature swarms were forming in NW and NE Somalia and persisted for several months until sufficient rain came in later April allowing maturation. [17] Mature swarms moved north into eastern Ethiopia and adjacent areas of NW Somalia. There was widespread hatching and bands in Saudi Arabia's interior. Mature adult groups of locusts and small swarms rode a strong southerly wind from Saudi Arabia to Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt. [18] By June 2021, there was an increasing number of immature swarms mostly in NW Somalia but also eastern Ethiopia, SE Djibouti. Breeding ceaseed in N Saudi Arabia and immature groups move south. [19] Conflict in Ethiopia prevented management operations and by October a few small mature groups and swarms from N Ethiopia move to Eritrea coast and lay eggs.[20] Control activities continued in NE Somalia and a few small spring-bred swarms from NE Somalia arrived on the Ethiopia/Kenya border. By December, few swarms remained and poor winter breeding along the Red Sea helped the situation calm down.[20] The upsurge in the Horn of Africa was officially declared over in February 2022 and officially on March 2, 2022 in the Desert Locust Bulletin.
The FAO and its partners raised more than 243 million USD to mobilize control efforts, from surveillance to rapid support for countries scrambling to put together response systems. [21] Aerial operations treated desert locusts across 2.3 million ha in the Horn of Africa and Yemen since January 2020. FAO reports these efforts averted 4.5 million metric tonnes of crop losses, saved 900 million liters of milk production, and secured food for nearly 42 million people. [22] The commercial value of the cereal and milk loss averted is estimated at USD 1.8 billion. [22] However, the complex interplay of tradeoffs that accompany the widespread use of organophosphates and pyrethroid pesticides is understudied and could be felt for years to come. Among the affected countries, Somalia was alone in exclusively using biopesticides and insect growth regulators (IGRs), which are slower-acting and much less harmful to non-target organisms and human health than synthetic pesticides. [23] See biopesticides page.
FAO Locust Watch has current situation bulletins and a timeline of the 2019-2021 outbreak.
Read about insecticide use against desert locust in the Horn of Africa 2019–2021 and the pressing need for change
Outbreak media coverage 2020–2021
View archives of media collected during the 2020-2021 outbreak here
| Name | Year published | Resource link | Descriptive keyword | Language | Geographic purview | Author | Year published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'Many will starve': locusts devour crops and livelihoods in Pakistan | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks | English | Pakistan | The Guardian | 2020 |
| ‘Like an Umbrella Had Covered the Sky’: Locust Swarms Despoil Kenya | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks | English | Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia | The New York Times | 2020 |
| ‘Make noise and don’t panic’: India tries to ward off locust invasion | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks | English | India | The Guardian | 2020 |
| A locust plague hit East Africa | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks | English | Eastern Africa | National Geographic | 2021 |
| Africa Braces for a Record Wave of Locusts | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks | English | Eastern Africa | Wall Street Journal | 2020 |
| Artificial Intelligence Helping African Farmers in the Fight Against Locusts | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks | English | Kenya | Farmers Review Africa | 2021 |
| As Locusts Swarmed East Africa, This Tech Helped Squash Them | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks | English | Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia | The New York Times | 2021 |
| Biblical plague or manageable threat? | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks | English | Kenya | The Telegraph | 2021 |
| Billions of locusts are descending on Ethiopia | 2020 | View URL | Video, General locust education, Media article, Locust outbreaks | English | Ethiopia | Washington Post | 2020 |
| Climate change favours locust swarms, India increasingly at risk | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Agriculture, Crop health, Food security, Governance, Aerial control operations, Chemical control, Pesticides, Management, Integrated pest management, Spraying, Forecasting, Early warning, Advisory note, Ecology, Biology, Economics, Morphology, Behavior, Rainfall, Weather, Climate change, Monitoring
|
English | India | Mongabay-India | 2020 |
| Crunch, Crunch: Africa's Locust Outbreak Is Far From Over | View URL | Media article, Locusts, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Infestations, Crop health, Rangeland management, Livestock, Grazing, Livelihoods, Food security, Migration, Economics, Climate change, Weather | English | Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia | US News & World Report | ||
| Desert Locust ‘re-invasion’ threatens millions across Horn of Africa | 2020 | View URL | Newsletter, Media article, Agriculture, Crop health, Food security, Livelihoods, Emergency response, Locusts, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Infestations, Management, Grazing, Decision making, Economics, Press release
|
English | Eastern Africa | United Nations | 2020 |
| Desert locust booklet | Advice, Locust outbreaks, Agriculture, Public health | English | Africa, Asia | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | |||
| Desert locust brochures | Brochure | English | Africa, Asia | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | |||
| East Africa fears second wave - of locust swarms | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Early warning, Forecasting, Crop health, Agriculture, Management, Grazing, Livestock, Livelihoods, Food security, Monitoring, Pesticides, Chemical control, Aerial control operations, Spraying, Rainfall, Weather
|
English | Eastern Africa | BBC News | 2020 |
| East Africa’s plague of locusts and the bizarre climate science behind it | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Climate change, Weather, Rainfall, Agriculture, Crop health, Food security | English | Eastern Africa | National Geographic | 2020 |
| Emergency Locust Response Program Phase 3 The World Bank Group | 2021 | View URL | Media article | English | Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Yemen, South Sudan | World Bank, Intergovernmental Authority on Development | 2021 |
| Ethiopia used chemicals to kill locusts | 2023 | View URL | Pesticides, Honeybees, Outbreaks | English | Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya | Mongabay, Malavika Vyawahare | 2023 |
| FAO and government of Somalia open permanent desert locust monitoring centre | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Management | English | Somalia | Prevention Web | 2021 |
| Fighting a locust plague amid Covid-19 in east Africa | 2020 | View URL | Video, General locust education | English | Eastern Africa | The Guardian | 2020 |
| Fighting Back Against 2020's Massive Locust Swarms | 2020 | View URL | General locust education, Video | English | Africa, Asia | Curiosity Stream | 2020 |
| First floods, then desert locusts | 2021 | View URL | Newsletter, Agriculture, Crop health, Infestations, Food security, Press release, Media article, Management, Locusts, Locust outbreaks, Livelihoods, Emergency response, Community development, Advocacy | English | Somalia | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | 2021 |
| From plague to promise | 2021 | View URL | Edible insects, Outbreaks | English | Kenya | Grist | 2021 |
| How a single locust becomes a plague | View URL | Media article, Education, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Infographic, Migration, Physiology, Morphology, Behavior, Crop health, Agriculture, Economics, Food security, Livelihoods, Rainfall, Weather, Climate change, Early warning, Monitoring, Chemical control, Pesticides, Aerial control operations, Biopesticide, Biological control, Management, Integrated pest management
|
English | Eastern Africa | BBC News | ||
| How a UN-led fight against locusts took a toxic toll on Kenyan farmers | 2023 | View URL | Locust outbreaks, Pesticides, Biopesticide, Emergency response | English | Kenya | Grist | 2023 |
| How do you fight a locust invasion amid coronavirus? | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Food security, Crop health, Agriculture, Economics, Governance, Pesticides, Chemical control, Aerial control operations, PPE and cleaning, Rainfall, Climate change, Biopesticide, Spraying
|
English | Eastern Africa | BBC News | 2020 |
| How Kenya’s farmers are trying to outsmart locusts and climate change | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Food security, Crop health, Agriculture, Climate change, Management | English | Kenya | The Independent | 2021 |
| How war threatens Ethiopia's struggle against worst locust swarm in 25 years | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Agriculture, Crop health, Food security, Mechanical control, Rainfall, Economics, Emergency alerts, Governance, Aerial control operations, Pesticides, Chemical control, Management, Pesticide management, Livelihoods, Collective movement
|
English | Ethiopia | The Guardian | 2020 |
| Huge swarm of locusts brings traffic to a standstill in Bahrain after spreading across Saudi Arabia because of strong winds | 2020 | View URL | Locust outbreaks | English | Bahrain | Daily Mail | 2020 |
| Hundreds of billions of locusts swarm in East Africa | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Crop health, Agriculture, Food security, Governance, Emergency response, Economics, Spraying, Aerial control operations, Chemical control, Monitoring, Biological control
|
English | Eastern Africa | BBC News | 2020 |
| In Kenya, lessons from 2020 prepare responders for a locust re-invasion | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Crop health, Agriculture, Livelihoods, Livestock, Grazing, Governance, Management, Chemical control, Pesticides, Spraying, Monitoring, Collective movement, Community development, Aerial control operations, Economics
|
English | Kenya | Devex | 2021 |
| India combats locust attack amid Covid-19 pandemic | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Agriculture, Crop health, Emergency response, Governance, Management, Integrated pest management, Collective movement, Migration, Mechanical control, Early warning, Food security, Economics, Aerial control operations, Chemical control, Spraying, Pesticides, PPE and cleaning
|
English | India | BBC News | 2020 |
| Intensive control operations reduced locust threat in India, Pak, says FAO | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Management, Governance, Chemical control, Pesticides, Pesticide management, Early warning, Spraying, Aerial control operations, Community development, Robotics, Drones, Technology
|
English | India, Pakistan | Hindustan Times | 2020 |
| Kenya Beats Back Fresh Wave of Desert Locust Invasions | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Management | English | Kenya | Bloomberg News | 2021 |
| Kenya uses app in battle against desert locusts | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Agriculture, Crop health, Economics, Monitoring, Early warning, eLocust, Pesticides, Chemical control, Rainfall, Migration | English | Kenya | Business Insider | ||
| Kenya: A sustainable solution to locust swarms? | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Food security, Livelihoods, Crop health, Agriculture, Livestock, Mechanical control, Edible insects, Management, Integrated pest management, Community development, Collective movement
|
English | Kenya | BBC News | 2021 |
| Kenya's farmers struggle as locusts descend | 2021 | View URL | Mechanical control, Locust outbreaks | English | Kenya | Deutsche Welle | 2021 |
| Kenya's Locust Outbreak May Be Nearing End as Spring Rains Are Delayed | View URL | Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations | English | Kenya | The Weather Channel | ||
| Kenya's pastoralists face hunger and conflict as locust plague continues | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Crop health, Agriculture, Rainfall, Weather, Grazing, Livestock, Food security, Economics, Emergency response, Collective movement, Pesticides, Chemical control, Biodiversity, Spraying, Monitoring
|
English | Kenya | The Guardian | 2020 |
| Locust Invasion | 2020 | View URL | General locust education, Video | English | Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania | Go Wild | 2020 |
| Locust Swarms as Big as Cities are Causing a Crisis in Africa | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Crop health, Agriculture, Livelihoods, Livestock, Grazing, Food security, Early warning, Forecasting, Economics, Collective movement, Climate change, Rainfall, Management, Integrated pest management, Edible insects, Chemical control, Mechanical control
|
English | Africa | Newsweek | 2020 |
| Locust swarms pose new threat to Middle East and Africa’s food security | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Food security, Crop health, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Rainfall, Climate change, Outbreaks, Infestations, Livelihoods, Weather, Agriculture, Monitoring | English | Eastern Africa | Arab News | 2021 |
| Locust Swarms Ravaging East Africa Are the Size of Cities | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Mechanical control, Crop health, Agriculture, Food security, Rainfall, Forecasting, Monitoring, Climate change, Amazing footage, Video, Weather, Economics, Livelihoods, Livestock, Grazing, Morphology, Behavior, Spraying, Pesticides, Emergency response
|
English | Eastern Africa | Bloomberg News | 2020 |
| Locust Swarms Threaten Parts Of East Africa | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Crop health, Agriculture, Monitoring, Pesticides, Aerial control operations, Chemical control, Management, Rainfall, Weather, Climate change, Food security, Livelihoods, Migration, Biological control, Economics
|
English | Eastern Africa | National Public Radio | 2021 |
| Locust swarms: How can they be warded off? | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Governance, Emergency response, eLocust, Spraying, Chemical control, Pesticides, Pesticide management, Monitoring, Survey, Earth observation, Agriculture, Crop health, Public health, Environmental assessment, Biological control, Behavior, Climate change
|
English | Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania | Down to Earth | ||
| Locusts Are A Plague Of Biblical Scope In 2020. Why? And ... What Are They Exactly? | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Food security, Agriculture, Crop health, Forecasting, General locust education, Ecology, Morphology, Behavior, Biology, Migration, Rainfall, Weather, Climate change, Livelihoods, Livestock
|
English | Southern Asia | National Public Radio | 2020 |
| Locusts: A close-up look at the swarms devouring the world's crops - BBC News | View URL | Media article, Infographic, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Agriculture, Crop health, Food security, Livelihoods, Rainfall, Forecasting, Biology, Ecology, Morphology, Behavior, Migration, Distribution, Climate change
|
English | Eastern Africa | BBC News | ||
| Mega Disasters: Super Swarms of Locusts | 2021 | View URL | General locust education, Video | English | United States of America | History Channel | 2021 |
| New Generation of Desert Locusts Breeding in Horn of Africa | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Forecasting | English | Ethiopia, Somalia | Bloomberg News | 2020 |
| New USAID Award to Combat Desert Locusts | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Infestations, Locusts, Governance, Emergency response, Monitoring, Agriculture, Crop health, Economics, Food security | English | Uganda | U.S. Embassy in Uganda | 2020 |
| Pakistan turns locusts into chicken feed to tackle the invasion | 2020 | View URL | Mechanical control, Locust outbreaks | English | Pakistan | Aljazeera | 2020 |
| Regional meeting to discuss the potential risk preparedness for the desert locust winter breeding season in the near east | 2015 | View URL | Early warning, Collective movement, Governance, Summary | Arabic, English | Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | 2015 | |
| Second wave of locusts in east Africa said to be 20 times worse | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Food security, Livelihoods, Agriculture, Crop health, Rainfall, Pesticides, Management, Chemical control, Aerial control operations, Livestock, Governance, Emergency response
|
English | Eastern Africa | The Guardian | 2020 |
| See how a plague of locusts forms | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Education, Infographic, General locust education, Biology, Morphology, Ecology, Behavior, Physiology, Evolution, Mating behavior, Migration, Distribution, Early warning, Forecasting, Chemical control, Pesticides, Weather
|
English | Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania | National Geographic | ||
| Signs of hope in East Africa, as control campaign tames locust upsurge | 2021 | View URL | Locust outbreaks | English | Eastern Africa | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | 2021 |
| Stopping swarming locusts | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Video, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Agriculture, Crop health, Management, Pesticide management, Chemical control, Biological control, Ecology, Behavior, Food security, Livelihoods, Biology
|
English | Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania | The Naked Scientists | 2020 |
| Swarm Of Locusts DEVOUR Everything In Their Path | 2017 | View URL | General locust education, Video, Amazing footage | English | Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania | BBC News | 2017 |
| Swarms of locusts invade Bahrain | 2020 | View URL | Locust outbreaks | English | Bahrain | The Daily Tribune News of Bahrain | 2020 |
| Targeting Breeding Sites May Avoid Further Locust Infestations in Africa | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Forecasting, Early warning, Monitoring, Modeling, Crop health, Grazing, Livestock, Agriculture, Economics, Ecology, Pesticides, Biopesticide, Chemical control, Management, Pesticide management, Environmental assessment, Behavior
|
English | Eastern Africa | Science Times | 2020 |
| Teaming up to defend against locusts | 2020 | View URL | Newsletter, Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Integrated pest management, Food security, Crop health, Livelihoods, Emergency response, Collective movement, Community development, Chemical control, Management, Pesticide management, Pesticides, Public health, Spraying, Biopesticide
|
English | Western Africa | OCHA Services Relief Web | 2020 |
| The Biblical locust plagues of 2020 | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Crop health, Agriculture, Food security, Behavior, Ecology, Biology, Migration, Economics, Weather, Management, Integrated pest management, Mechanical control, Chemical control, Pesticides, Pesticide management, Livelihoods, Governance, Aerial control operations, Biopesticide, Biological control, Forecasting, Robotics, Drones, Technology
|
English | Eastern Africa | BBC News | ||
| The double burden of COVID-19 and locusts in East Africa | View URL | Emergency appeal | English | South Sudan | International Rescue Committee | ||
| The Terrifying Science Behind the Locust Plagues of Africa | View URL | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Infestations, Locusts, Crop health, Agriculture, Food security, Rainfall, Climate change, Emergency response, Behavior, Biology, Migration, Morphology, Ecology, Evolution, Physiology, Management, Monitoring, Early warning, Pesticides, Chemical control, Aerial control operations, Biological control
|
English | Eastern Africa | Wired | ||
| The World Bank Group and the Locust Crisis | 2020 | View URL | Media article | English | Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda | World Bank | 2020 |
| These Swarming Locusts Are Grasshoppers Gone Wrong | 2021 | View URL | Video, Biology, Nutritional ecology, Locust outbreaks, General locust education | English | Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania | KQED - PBS Deep Look | 2021 |
| This Kenyan Startup Is Turning Locust Swarms into Animal Feed | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Management, Weather, Climate change, Livestock, Grazing, Edible insects, Crop health, Mechanical control, Livelihoods, Integrated pest management, Agriculture, Community development
|
English | Kenya | Freethink | 2021 |
| To Fight Locusts, Historic Rivals India and Pakistan Team Up | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Collective movement, Crop health, Agriculture, Food security, Economics, Migration, Climate change, Rainfall, Weather, Governance, Community development, Pesticide management, Management, Chemical control, Spraying, Pesticides
|
English | India | Undark Magazine | 2020 |
| To Track Massive Locust Swarms, Officials Use Tool that Forecasts Smoke Plumes | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Management, Rainfall, Weather, Climate change, Food security, Livelihoods, Migration, Agriculture, Crop health, Monitoring, Spraying, Pesticide management, Pesticides, Chemical control, Meteorology, Modeling, Behavior, Technology, Early warning, Forecasting
|
English | Africa | Scientific American | ||
| Twelve fold increase in Ethiopia COVID-19 cases, severe weather and locusts creating massive need in Ethiopia, warns IRC | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Rainfall, Crop health, Food security, Livelihoods, Agriculture, Collective movement, Management, Governance, Economics | English | Ethiopia | International Rescue Committee | ||
| UN releases Sh164m for fight on locust upsurge | 2021 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Management, Chemical control, Pesticides, Aerial control operations, Pesticide management, Monitoring, Spraying, Governance, Collective movement, Agriculture, Crop health, Livelihoods, Food security, Economics
|
English | Kenya | Nation | 2021 |
| What’s Up With Those Locust Swarms? | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Education, General locust education, Grasshoppers, Behavior, Morphology, Agriculture, Ecology, Environmental science, Neurobiology, Migration, Rainfall, Climate change, Crop health, Economics, Biology, Pesticides, Chemical control, Spraying, Public health, Early warning, eLocust, Biological control
|
English | Eastern Africa | Forbes | ||
| When locust swarms are treated as a chance for profit | View URL | English | Kenya | BBC News | |||
| Why today's biblical locust swarms can't be stopped | 2020 | View URL | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Agriculture, Mechanical control, Chemical control, Management, Pesticides, Forecasting, Monitoring, Migration, Pesticide management, Public health, Crop health, Food security, Behavior, Rainfall, Climate change
|
English | Africa, Asia | Mashable | 2020 |
| World Bank Announces $500 Million to Fight Locusts | 2020 | View URL | Media article | English | Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda | World Bank | 2020 |
Associated organizations
| Organization name | Acronym | Website | Type | Focus | Focus keywords | Geographic purview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Plasticity Research Institute | BPRI | View URL | Other | Research, Education | Phenotypic plasticity, Phase polyphenism | Texas, Arizona, Missouri, Illinois |
| Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior | View URL | University | Research | Natural sciences | ||
| Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management | CoEB | View URL | University | Agricultural development, Community development, Research, Sustainable development, Technology, Training | ||
| Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region | CRC | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Management, Governance, Education, Information Hub | Training, Regional cooperation, Monitoring, Control, Forecasting, Natural sciences | |
| Desert Locust Control Organization for Eastern Africa | DLCO EA | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Education, Governance, Management, Research | Training, Regional cooperation, Monitoring, Control, Coordination | |
| Directorate General for Plant Protection | DGPV | View URL | Government | Research, Management | Control, Training, Monitoring, Pesticides, Natural sciences | |
| Falconsult | View URL | Private Sector | Management, Development | Control, Monitoring, Sustainable development | ||
| FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in Northwest Africa | CLCPANO | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Governance, Education, Management, Research | Training, Regional cooperation, Monitoring, Control, Natural sciences | |
| FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in South-West Asia | SWAC | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Information Hub, Education, Governance | Training, Monitoring, Control, Regional cooperation, Natural sciences | |
| FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Western Region | CLCPRO | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Governance, Research, Management | Training, Regional cooperation, Monitoring, Control, Natural sciences | |
| FAO Desert Locust Control Committee | DLCC | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Development, Management, Governance | Agricultural development, Community development, Control, International development, Regional cooperation, Sustainable development, Training, Natural sciences | |
| FAO Desert Locust Information Service | DLIS | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Development, Management, Education, Governance, Information Hub, Funding | Agricultural development, Community development, Control, Coordination, Emergency assistance, Forecasting, International development, Media, Monitoring, Policy, Regional cooperation, Sustainable development, Technology, Training, Early warning, Natural sciences | |
| FAO Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases | EMPRES | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Management, Governance, Research | Monitoring, Control, Training, Regional cooperation, Natural sciences | |
| FAO Locusts and Transboundary Plant Pests and Diseases | NSPMD | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Development | Agricultural development, Community development | |
| FAO Plant Production and Protection Division | NSP | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Information Hub | Agricultural development, Community development, Emergency assistance, Forecasting, Regional cooperation, Sustainable development, Training, Natural sciences | |
| FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific | APPPC | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Information Hub, Governance, Education | Training, Regional cooperation, Policy | |
| Global Locust Initiative | GLI | View URL | University | Research, Education, Information Hub | Sustainable development, Ecology, Nutrition, Social science, Natural sciences, Agriculture, Agroecology, Biology, Behavior, Biological control, Climate change, Education, Sustainability science, Geometric framework, Grazing, Governance, Food security, Arts and humanities, Land use management, Landscape ecology, Locusts, Migration, Phase polyphenism, Phenotypic plasticity, Soil science | Arizona |
| Higher Institute of Agronomic Sciences of Chott Mariem | View URL | University, Government | Agricultural development, Control, Education | |||
| IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre | ICPAC | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Development, Management, Research | Forecasting, Agricultural development, International development, Early warning, Natural sciences | |
| India Locust Warning Organization | LWO | View URL | Government | Management, Information Hub, Research | Monitoring, Control, Forecasting, Training, Natural sciences | |
| Intergovernmental Authority on Development | IGAD | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization | Development, Management, Research | Forecasting, Agricultural development, International development, Natural sciences | |
| International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology | ICIPE | View URL | Non-profit Organization | Research, Education | Sustainable development, Training, Natural sciences | |
| KUZI | View URL | Private Sector | Management | Forecasting, Monitoring, Technology | ||
| Le Centre National de Lutte Antiacridienne | CNLA | View URL | Government | Research, Management, Governance | Monitoring, Control, Coordination, Forecasting, Natural sciences | |
| Ministry of Agriculture Sudan | View URL | Government | Agricultural development | |||
| Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries of the Republic of Uganda | View URL | Government | Governance, Management | Management | ||
| Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources of Oman | View URL | Government | Management | Survey, Monitoring, Management, Control | ||
| Ministry of Agriculture, Water, Fishery, Livestock and Marine Resources | MAEPE-RH | View URL | Government | Governance, Management | Management, Forecasting, Monitoring, Control | |
| National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases “Waqaa” | View URL | Government | Management | |||
| National Desert Locust Control Center | CNLCP | View URL | Government | Research, Management, Development, Governance | Coordination, Monitoring, Control, Agricultural development, Forecasting, Policy, Regional cooperation, Sustainable development, Technology, Training | |
| Sahel Institute | INSAH | View URL | Intergovernmental Organization, University | Development, Governance, Research, Management, Information Hub | Agricultural development, Coordination, International development, Policy, Regional cooperation, Training, Natural sciences | |
| Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur | View URL | University | Education, Research | Natural sciences | ||
| The Bug Picture | View URL | Private Sector | Development, Management | Edible Insects, Agricultural development, Sustainable development | ||
| The French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development | CIRAD | View URL | Government | Education, Development, Research, Management | Forecasting, International development, Training, Agricultural development, Sustainable development, Natural sciences, Modeling, Monitoring, Research, Control, Community development | |
| The Song Laboratory of Insect Systematics and Evolution | View URL | University | Research | Natural sciences | Texas | |
| The South African National Biodiversity Institute | SANBI | View URL | Government | Research, Education, Governance | Biodiversity | |
| Tomorrownow.io | View URL | Private Sector | Other | Meteorology, Forecasting, Technology, Early warning | ||
| United Nations AGRHYMET Regional Center | AGRHYMET | View URL | Other | Development, Education | Training, International development | |
| University of Agriculture Faisalabad Pakistan | UAFP | View URL | University | Research | Fungi |
Resources
| Resource category | Link |
|---|---|
| Information hubs | View here |
| Guides | View here |
| Technical reports | View here |
| Situation bulletins | View here |
| Projects | View here |
References
- ↑ Steedman A (1990) Locust handbook. Chatham: Natural Resources Institute.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Brader L, Djibo H, Faye FG, Ghaout S, Lazar M, Luzietoso PN (2006) Towards a More Effective Response to Desert Locusts and Their Impacts on Food Security, Livelihoods and Poverty. Multilateral Evaluation of the 2003–05 Desert Locust Campaign. Food and Agriculture Organisation, Rome.
- ↑ Despland E (2005) Diet breadth and anti-predator strategies in desert locusts and other Orthopterans. Journal of Orthoptera Research 14.2: 227–233.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Ries MW, Adriaansen C, Aldobai S, Berry K, Bal AB, Catenaccio MC, Cigliano MM, Cullen DA, Deveson T, Diongue A, Foquet B, Hadrich J, Hunter D, Johnson DL, Pablo Karnatz J, Lange CE, Lawton D, Lazar M, Latchininsky AV, Lecoq M, Le Gall M, Lockwood J, Manneh B, Overson R, Peterson BF, Piou C, Poot-Pech MA, Robinson BE, Rogers SM, Song H, Springate S, Therville C, Trumper E, Waters C, Woller DA, Youngblood JP, Zhang L, Cease A (2024) Global perspectives and transdisciplinary opportunities for locust and grasshopper pest management and research. Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(2): 169–216. doi:10.3897/jor.33.112803.
- ↑ FAO (2022) Desert locust upsurge – Progress report on the response in the Greater Horn of Africa and Yemen, September–December 2021. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc0175en
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 COPR (1982) The Locust and Grasshopper Agricultural Manual. London: Overseas Pest Research. 690.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Cressman K (2016) Desert locust. Biological and Environmental Hazards, Risks, and Disasters. First Edition. 87–105. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-394847-2.00006-1
- ↑ Symmons PM and Cressman K (2001) Desert Locust Guidelines: Biology and Behavior. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Available from: http://www.fao.org/ag/locusts/common/ecg/347_en_DLG1e.pdf (November 25, 2019)
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Le Gall M, Overson R, Cease A (2019) A global review on locusts (Orthoptera: Acrididae) and their interactions with livestock grazing practices. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 7: 263. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00263
- ↑ Hamilton A, (1953) Parthenogenesis for Four Generations in the Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria Forsk) (Acridae). Nature 172: 1153–1154. doi.org/10.1038/1721153a0
- ↑ Nevo D (1996) The desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, and its control in the land of Israel and the Near East in antiquity, with some reflections on its appearance in Israel in modern times. Phytoparasitica 24: 7–32. doi: 10.1007/BF02981450
- ↑ Magor JI, Lecoq M, Hunter DM (2008) Preventive control and Desert Locust plagues. Crop Protection 27: 1527–1533. doi: 10.1016/j.cropro.2008.08.006
- ↑ Belayneh YT (2005) Acridid pest management in the developing world: a challenge to the rural population, a dilemma to the international community. Journal of Orthoptera Research 14: 187–196. doi: 10.1665/1082-6467(2005)14[187:APMITD]2.0.CO;2
- ↑ Roffey J and Popov G (1968) Environmental and behavioural processes in a desert locust outbreak. Nature 219: 446. doi:10.1038/219446a0
- ↑ FAO (2021) Desert locust upsurge – Progress report on the response in the Greater Horn of Africa and Yemen (January-Aril 2021). Rome. http://www.fao.org/3/cb4925en/cb4925en.pdf
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 FAO Locust Watch “Desert Locust Upsurge in 2019–2021.” FAO Site, www.fao.org/ag/locusts/en/info/2094/web18/index.html. Accessed 7/14/21.
- ↑ FAO Locust Watch “Decline of the 2019–2021 upsurge.” FAO Site, www.fao.org/ag/locusts/en/info/2094/web18/index.html. Accessed 7/16/21.
- ↑ FAO Desert Locust Bulletin “General situation during April 2021 Forecast until mid-June 2021 (3 May 2021) 511: 1-10. http://www.fao.org/ag/locusts/common/ecg/2592/en/DL511e.pdf
- ↑ FAO Desert Locust Bulletin “General situation during June 2021 Forecast until mid-August 2021 (3 May 2021)" 513: 1-9. http://www.fao.org/ag/locusts/common/ecg/2599/en/DL513e.pdf
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 FAO DLIS (2022) "Desert Locust upsurge (2019–2021)". Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. https://www.fao.org/ag/locusts/en/info/2094/index.html Date accessed 2/1/23
- ↑ FAO (2022) Real-time evaluation of FAO’s response to the desert locust upsurge 2020–2021 – Phase III. Programme Evaluation Series, 04/2022. Rome.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 FAO (2022) Desert locust upsurge – Progress report on the response in the Greater Horn of Africa and Yemen, September–December 2021. Rome.
- ↑ Owour A, McRae HD (2022) Desert locust control in Somalia between 2019 and 2021. international-pest-control.com. Research Information Ltd. September/October 64: 5.