India is facing economic slowdown, Corona virus outbreak, Super cyclone and now Locust attack. Now what is Locust? Locust is an animal somewhat similar to Grasshopper & Cricket. It generally lives in desert areas. But in dry areas Locust lives in Solitary phase. But when the environmental condition is favourable like Soil is wet it evolutes into Gregarious phase. In this phase it can eat more food, it’s brain size increases. Locust swarms formed in gregarious phase.
How large locust swarm is?
It travels in 2400 sq. KM area with 150000000 locust/KM^2.
One Locust swarm can eat food of 2500 people. Locust exists through out the human history. There is mention of locust plagues in Bible and Quran. Locust mainly found in African, Middle East . In the year 1875 Nebraska in USA faced locust swarm of 110 mile length and .5 mile width. Even Rabindranath Tagore mentioned Locust in his Book ‘Sahaj Path’
But activity of locust is increasing in last few years. Due to global warming water in Indian ocean getting hot. It increases the amount of rain. So Locust gets the right environmental condition needed for their activity.
But there are Solutions in this issue:
1) Insecticides and Pesticides can have negative impact against locust.
2) Noise can remove locust from crop field. Locust run away from noise.
3) Locust can be collected and used in chicken feed.
Hope Government with the help of Scientist will take necessary action to save the Crop of poor farmers from Locust attack.
