Locust Watch
Locusts in Caucasus and Central Asia
Moroccan Locust (DMA), Tajikistan 2008 ©FAO/A. Monard

General situation from November 2023 till end of January 2024

Forecast until mid-March 2024

Natural cycles of the three main locust species in the Caucasus and Central Asian (CCA) region – Moroccan Locust (DMA), Italian Locust (CIT) and Asian Migratory Locust (LMI) – ended in late summer/early autumn. The locust eggs laid in the soil will remain in embryonic diapause until hatching in the spring.  During the forecast period, hatching of DMA may occur in the southern parts of Central Asia (Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan). No hatching of any species is expected in other parts of CCA. 

Regional monthly bulletins on locusts

General Situation during August 2015 Forecast until mid-October 2015
In August, Moroccan Locust (DMA) life cycle came to an end in Central Asian countries as well as in Azerbaijan. Italian Locust (CIT) mating occurred in Armenia while adults were disappearing in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. CIT egg-laying was in progress in Georgia as well...
General Situation during July 2015 Forecast until mid-September 2015
In July, Moroccan Locust (DMA) adults only were present in Central Asian countries as well as in Azerbaijan. Limited control operations were carried out (on less than 10 000 ha) and egg-laying surveys were in progress. Italian Locust (CIT) hopper development was in progress in Armenia while fledging occurred almost everywhere in...
General Situation during June 2015 Forecast until mid-August 2015
In June, Moroccan Locust (DMA) hopper development came to an end and fledging, followed by mating and egg-laying, occurred in all Central Asian countries as well as in Azerbaijan and probably in Georgia; natural disappearance started in some of that countries. Italian Locust (CIT) hopper development was in progress...
General Situation during May 2015 Forecast until mid-July 2015
In May, Moroccan Locust (DMA) hopper development was in progress in all Central Asian countries, while hatching started in the Russian Federation; fledging and breeding were reported in Uzbekistan. No DMA was reported from Caucasian countries. Italian Locust (CIT) hopper development was in progress in all Caucasian and Central...
General Situation during April 2015 Forecast until mid-June 2015
Cooler than usual and rainy weather conditions in all Caucasian and Central Asian countries delayed hatching and subsequent hopper development. Therefore Moroccan Locust (DMA) started from late March in Tajikistan -and probably in neighboring areas of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan- and in April in Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan –and probably...