TOPLINE
Two large locust swarms at opposite ends of the world have alerted this week to biblical damage that pests can inflict on crops as they traverse swaths of South America and Asia.
Locusts were seen filling the sky in the town of Ghurpur on the outskirts of Allahabad on Friday in … [+]
KEY FACTS
On Saturday, a swarm of desert locusts took over Gurugram, a city in India about 18 miles southwest of New Delhi, as local people were advised to make loud noises to chase away insects, such as hitting the kitchen utensils and playing music at full volume.
India is facing its worst locust swarm in decades, and farmers have raised concerns about how the infestation will affect their crops this summer during the upcoming planting season.
This week, Argentina and Brazil issued warnings when a 9-square-mile swarm of locusts entered Argentina from Paraguay as it headed in the direction of Uruguay.
Brazil declared on Friday a “harvest emergency” in two southern states in case it reached Brazil, although weather conditions indicated it was unlikely to do so and appears to be moving towards Uruguay.
In May, parts of eastern Africa were hit by a second wave of the worst desert locust outbreak in 70 years, when billions of insects descended on Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, three countries in an already vulnerable region.
Desert locusts are the hungriest species and, in the worst case scenario, could cover 20% of the land on earth and potentially endanger 10% of the world’s livelihoods, as a swarm of Lobsters of just over a third of a square mile can eat the same amount of food in a single day as 35,000 people, according to the United Nations.
TANGENT
Locust swarms in Christian traditions have typically been associated with the end of the world, derived from an apocalypse prophecy recorded in the Book of Revelations, the last book of the New Testament. Locusts are mentioned throughout the Old and New Testaments.
KEY FUND
The Covid-19 pandemic has complicated locust relief. In April, Kenyan officials told AP that pandemic crackdowns slowed efforts to fight the infestation, as crossing borders became more difficult and delivery of needed pesticides was delayed. Locusts are believed to be the world’s oldest migratory pest. While related to ordinary grasshoppers, they excel in their evolutionary ability to change behavior mid-life and form massive swarms that can migrate long distances. Locust clouds have been recorded traveling more than 120 miles per day.
OTHER READINGS
East Africa prepares for lobster outbreak possibly 20 times worse than first (Photos) (Forbes)
