Landholders on the look out as plague locusts descend on green pastures after years of drought
WedWednesday 13
Landholders are urged to report locusts and populations to get them under control.
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First mice and now plague locusts are rearing their heads in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales for the first time in years, thanks to recent rain.
Key points:
Locust populations have been growing in southern Queensland and northern NSW for the first time in years
Scientists say there is a moderate likelihood of more widespread high-density populations developing during summer and early autumn
Landholders have been urged to report and monitor populations and get them under control before they can cause widespread damage
What will we do when the locusts come again?
Locusts are a group of short-horned grasshoppers that migrate long distances in swarms, crossing over many countries. They devour leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, bark, and destroy plants by their sheer weight as they descend on them in massive numbers.
Four species of locusts are found in India: Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria), Migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), Bombay Locust (Nomadacris succincta) and Tree locust (Anacridium sp.).
The desert locust is regarded as the most destructive pest in the world. Adult locust swarms can fly up to 150 km a day with the wind and adult insects can consume roughly their own weight in fresh food per day.
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