VIDEO: Locusts Attack Indian States; Worst in 27 Years - Farmers and Residents Confused!

Locusts were recently spotted in Rajasthan’s Dauca district on May 20th. Since then, they have been in news. In order to understand the on-going locust crisis, one must understand what locusts are. 

These insects belong to the family of grasshoppers. They are generally solitary creatures and do not cause threat to plants. However, certain environmental conditions cause a rise in serotonin levels of these insects and they start breeding in large numbers and form large swarms. 

These large swarms migrate to other places in huge numbers and the population becomes uncontrollable. They attack crops and destroy them completely since they consume plants and settle in green vegetations. Locusts have caused plagues since prehistory period. Locust swarms have destroyed crops and even caused famines in the past. 

The control measures include traditional measures such as usage of insecticides and new methods such as biological control. 

Indian farmers are currently facing a crisis due to Locusts. They first appeared in Rajasthan on May 20 and within 5 days swarms of Locusts spread across 200 Kilometres. According to the latest media reports, they have also spread to other states such as Uttar Pradesh. The species of locusts that are attacking India has been identified as desert locusts, the most dangerous among the lot. 

#WATCH Madhya Pradesh: Swarms of locusts seen at a village in Chhatarpur district. pic.twitter.com/jcfnlGTuR2

— ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2020

Almost 16 districts of Rajasthan, 17 districts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh has reported the worst locust attack in the past 27 years. The swarms of locusts are expected to enter Delhi soon. 

#WATCH राजस्थान में टिड्डियों का प्रकोप अभी भी जारी। कल देर रात जयपुर के ग्रामीण इलाके में टिड्डियों ने दस्तक दी और आज सुबह जयपुर शहर के कई इलाकों से गुजरती हुई दौसा की तरफ निकल गई। pic.twitter.com/PgDrKGtKmJ

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) May 25, 2020

“According to Food and Agricultural Organisation, one square kilometre swarm of locusts with an average population of 40 million can eat the food of as much as 35,000 people in a day,” India Times cited in its report. 

The Central Government has set up teams with state agricultural departments and have advised the use of chemical sprays to control them from entering into agricultural farms in their respective states.