As a result of good rains in early October and disruption of regular ground surveys because of political events in Libya, a Desert Locust outbreak developed in SW Libya in January 2012 and local breeding occurred in SE Algeria.

An initial analysis of the outbreak is presented online as well as in two versions of a PDF document: one that can be downloaded quickly (low resolution) and one for presentations (high resolution).

Chronology of outbreak events
2011
* Oct: good rains in SE Algeria and SW Libya
* Nov: green vegetation develops; egg-laying
* Dec: hatching

2012
* Jan: hoppers reported NW Ghat & W Djanet; control ops in Algeria; hoppers fledge
* Feb: infestations increase and group in Libya; adults move to SE Algeria; control ops; egg-laying
* Mar: egg-laying
* Apr: egg-laying, hatching and hopper band formation
* May: swarm formation
* June: situation returns to calm as vegetation dries out and immature adult groups & swarms invade N Niger & Mali