Locust plague settled in northeastern Argentina and threatens Brazil

A plague of desert locusts from Paraguay, it settled in the Argentine northeast and threatens to advance to Brazil, reported the delegation of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The plague entered through the Argentine province of Formosa, in the eastern department of Pilagás, the May 28 and it advanced towards the provinces of Chaco and Santa Fe, driven by the north wind.

He crossed the Paraná River and reached Corrientes, and on Tuesday the Argentine authorities spotted desert locusts in the region of Santa Fe, 250 kilometers from the border with Brazil.

FAO expert Fernando Rati appreciated that “best way” to combat the pest is with aerial spraying and live monitoring of it.

“Regarding this lobster wave that can reach Brazil in the next days and hours, the prevention method most important right now is a plan to monitor how lobsters move in real time together with the authorities of Argentina and Uruguay“Rati said.

FAO considers the desert locust “the world’s most destructive migratory plague” and can travel up to 150 kilometers in one day. In fact, they move throughout the day and settle around late-night, with poor visibility.

A one square kilometer cloud of these insects can consume the same amount of food as 35,000 people.

Even if It is a rural pest, it can become urban, reaching towns and cities. Anyway, it is an insect that does not affect the health of people or animals, but can directly impact agricultural activity and in the livestock activity indirectly, feeding on forage resources and also causing damage to native vegetation.

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