Hoppers bands in Iran could form swarms

The Desert Locust situation requires careful monitoring in the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and in southwest Asia.

Small hopper bands have formed in coastal and interior areas of southeastern Iran from breeding that occurred earlier in the spring. Any infestations that are not controlled could form small adult groups and perhaps a few small swarms. As vegetation dries out in the region, the adults are expected to move towards the summer breeding areas along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border in May. The adults will lay eggs when the seasonal monsoon rains reach this area which is usually in June.

In the Arabian Peninsula, hatching occurred on a few farms on the northern edge of the Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia. Although the small hopper bands that formed were treated, there is a moderate risk of more hatching and band formation occurring in other farms in the area.

In the Horn of Africa, several swarms persist in southern Ethiopia but the situation remains unclear due to the difficult and remote terrain. Most of these swarms are expected to move north to the Ogaden region in eastern Ethiopia and lay eggs in areas where seasonal rains have recently commenced. There is a moderate risk that some swarms could remain in the south and lay eggs. All efforts should be made to undertake regular surveys and carry out any control that is necessary.

Elsewhere, limited ground control operations were carried out against local infestations that developed from small-scale breeding in northern Sudan, central Algeria and northwestern Mauritania. Residual populations are expected to move south into the northern Sahel and breed when the summer rains begin in about June.