The worst locust attack in 27 years !

A deadly pandemic, a super cyclone, and now a major attack of locusts. Many of the states in India wake up in the middle of a raging swarm of crop-eating locusts. This is said to be the worst locust attack in 27 years !

The Migration:

After destroying the crops in Eastern Africa, the locusts migrated towards India from the Pakistan side. The locusts then entered Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, where they left a trail of devastating destruction, eating Kharif crops costing crores of rupees.

What are these insects ? 

Locusts are a collection of certain spices of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. These insects are usually alone, but under certain conditions they increase in number and change their behavior and habits, becoming socially active. They feed on crops but they are totally harmless to humans directly. These insects come in swarms of Lakhs during the dry seasons, a single swarm can eat up acres of land in hours, which is why the farmers need to keep measures ready before the infestation starts.

How do they harm us ?

These migratory pests eat crops a single swarm can eat up an acre of land in just a few hours, these locusts have destroyed crops in 18 districts of Rajasthan, 12 districts of Madya Pradesh and now have already. In Rajasthan, a swarm of locusts even entered a residential area. Farmers of the neighboring states have been asked to brace themselves. Now because it is the harvest season of some crops, this attack also posses a food security threat.

How are we tackling this ?

As this time these pests have come with new behavioral changes like not get scared on loud noises, them flying higher than their normal flying height that's why we also need to change our measures, in many places, planes and drones are being used to shoe-off the insects, fire engines are being loaded with pesticides and are spraying them on the trees. due to the excessive use of pesticides and locusts eating many crops the food which is coming these days is likely to make sick, which posses a food quality threat.

Thanks for reading, meet you next time, till then stay home stay safe and stay updated with The Science Factor 101.