DESERT LOCUST UPDATE

FAO Emergency Centre for Locust Operations (issued 19 Mar 1997)

19 March 1997

Populations of transient and gregarious Desert Locusts were reported to be breeding in several areas on the Red Sea coastal plains in Saudi Arabia where control operations were undertaken. Breeding of gregarious adults and limited hatching of hoppers were reported in Sudan, 75 km north of Port Sudan. Egypt reported a small infestation of breeding locusts and hoppers. New information received since the last FAO Bulletin (222) indicates that several groups of mature transient adults and swarms were reported during the last week of February and the first half of March in Saudi Arabia. Infestations of low density copulating and laying transient locusts were concentrated on the Red Sea coastal plains in an area around Rabigh (2242N/3910E) and Kulais (2217N/3920E). Copulating gregarious adults were found in an area around Tuwwal (2223N/3915E) and Buray Kal (2235N/3938E) on the 8th of March and around Umm Laff (2450N/3722E) and Yanbu (2350N/3830E) on the 11th and 12th. These adults were in small to medium size swarms with a density up to 20-30 locusts/sq.m. Ground control actions increased from 1895 ha at the end of February to 10,200 ha during the first two weeks of March. Breeding conditions remain favourable on the coastal plain with green vegetation and a moist soil. In the extreme south-eastern part of Egypt, near the Sudanese border, survey teams discovered scattered and gregarious locusts copulating within about 30 ha, plus a number of hoppers of various instars at 2205N/3555E. Recent reports from Sudan indicate a low density infestation of gregarious adults within 3000-4000 ha at one location on the coastal plains about 75 km north of Port Sudan. The locusts are reported to be copulating and laying, but some egg fields were exposed by strong winds to the sun which may lead to desiccation and partial failure of hatching. Nevertheless, hoppers were reported to be hatching in a limited area of 120 ha during the second week of March. Somalia reported isolated immature adults on the northern coast, near Eleye (1056N/4710E). Breeding conditions were unfavourable. All countries are urged to send results of locust survey and control operations to FAO on a regular and timely basis so other countries and donors can be kept informed of the developing locust situation.

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The FAO Desert Locust Bulletin is issued monthly, supplemented by Updates during periods of increased Desert Locust activity, and is distributed by fax, e-mail, FAO pouch and airmail by the Locusts,Other Migratory Pests and Emergency Operations Group, AGP Division, FAO, 00100 Rome, Italy. It is also available on the Internet. Telephone: (39-6) 522-52420 (24 hr, daily) Facsimile: (39-6) 522-55271 Telex: 610181 FAO 1 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://www.fao.org (Global Watch)