Infestations of the Desert locust have been found on the southern coast of Yemen, says the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, describing the insects as a force of nature when the adults gather in swarms that ride with the wind. “A very small swarm eats the same amount of food in one day as about 35,000 people,” says FAO.
The infestations “pose a potential threat to crops in the region.” Armed conflict hampers control operations in Yemen, so neighboring Saudi Arabia, Oman and Iran should mobilize their own programs to prevent the destructive insect from reaching its breeding grounds, said FAO. “Strict vigilance is also required in Morocco and Algeria, especially in areas south of the Atlas Mountains.”
Adult locusts eat their weight in fresh food each day. A swarm that contains tens of millions of locusts can devastate crops. Keith Cressman, the FAO senior locust forecasting officer, said there is a moderate risk that Desert locusts will move into southern Yemen and perhaps reach spring breeding areas in central Saudi Arabia and northern Oman. They could continue on to the United Arab Emirates, where small swarms could form before moving to southeastern Iran.