Locusts Attack: How do locusts originate, travel, and what destruction do they bring
by benson.philipDesert locusts can be considered to be natives of Saudi Arabia or the Arabian Peninsula. Following the monsoon winds, they arrive in India - in Rajasthan and Gujarat particularly - every year. An average 10 locust attacks or swarms are seen in India in a normal year. It is also said that it originated in the Horn of Africa, where excess rains triggered a breeding boom.Locust swarms can cover vast distances and some species may travel 81 miles or more a day. 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. A desert locust swarm can be 460 square miles in size and pack between 40 and 80 million locusts into less than half a square mile.Locusts do not attack people or animals. There is no evidence that suggests that locusts carry diseases that could harm humans.These insects fly during the day and are known for feasting on all sorts of plants and standing crops. They destroy flowers, fruits, leaves, seeds, bark, and growing points. It is said that a small swarm of the desert locust eats as much food in one day as about 10 elephants, 25 camels, or 2,500 people. Since these insects attack crops, it is definitely going to affect us. If these locust attacks persist, there is a possibility that these insects will rob the agricultural sector of lakhs of tonnes of food grains and vegetables.The current attack by locusts 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.
