Tracking the growing swarm
High alert has been sounded in south and southwest districts of Delhi over a possible locust attack after a small portion of the swarm moved towards Palwal in Haryana and entered the Asola Bhatti area
WHERE DID THEY ORIGINATE?
This swarm originated in the Horn of Africa, where excess rains triggered a breeding boom. According to Indian experts, the swarm entering India now had another round of breeding in Baluchistan, Iran and Pakistan.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
The swarm, which had originally started from Pakistan, came via Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan and Rewari in Haryana and reached Gurugram around noon. On Saturday afternoon, the swarm reached Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh and a few scattered groups remained in Delhi.
WHAT DAMAGE CAN THEY CAUSE?
The current upsurge is alarming in the Eastern Africa region. Over 25 million people will face acute food insecurity in the region in the second half of 2020. In Yemen, where locusts have been reproducing in hard-to-access inland areas, 17 million people may be impacted. A swarm of locust spread over a square kilometre can chew through food enough for 35,000 people in a day.
CAN THEY HURT HUMANS?
Locusts do not attack people or animals. There is no evidence that suggests that locusts carry diseases that could harm humans.
CAN THEY BE CONTROLLED?
They can fly as far as 150km a day, making them difficult to control. Locust swarms can cover extremely large areas, which can sometimes be extremely remote and difficult to access. FAO monitors locust swarms on a 24-hour basis and provides forecasts and early warning alerts on the timing, scale and location of movement. Traditional chemicals are used to control their numbers. Now nature-based biopesticides are also available as a less harmful alternative for controlling outbreaks.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
If we are not able to control them, the sub adults will come back to their summer breeding area in the Thar desert bordering Pakistan. If there are good rains, they will lay eggs and lead to a new generation of desert locusts migrating to India again in a few months.
MEASURES IN INDIA
The Locust Warning Organisation under the ministry of agriculture has a ground team of 50 people mainly to monitor and track the swarms; drones are used for aerial spraying of Malathion 96, an organophosphate insecticide and a potentially toxic chemical for non-cropped areas. For areas with agriculture, chlorpyrifos is sprayed by drones, fire brigades and tractor-mounted sprays.