Short Communication: Seasonal occurrence of the tree locust Anacridium melanorhodon melanorhodon on Acacia Senegal in North Kordofan State, Sudan

Abstract

Rahama ORM, Ahmed MOB, Yassin MM. 2017. Seasonal occurrence of the tree locust Anacridium melanorhodon melanorhodon on Acacia senegal in North Kordofan State, Sudan. Trop Drylands 1: 65-68. The tree locust, Anacridium melanorhodon melanorhodon (Walker, 1870) (Acrididae: Orthoptera) causes sporadic damage mainly to trees. In Sudan, it is called night wanderer because of its nocturnal activity. It is commonly found on the Sudanese western sand plains, causing considerable damage to the gum Arabic producing Acacia trees. Field work was made at an Acacia senegal plantation of the Acacia Project (Elrahad) site, during 2007/08 and 2008/09, North Kordofan State. The objectives of the study were to investigate the factors that influence the tree locust population movements and distribution. The results showed that adults of the tree locust appeared in the field in May and high populations were recorded during the period from June to September reaching the peak (25.00±3.08 per tree) in November. Then the population decreased gradually and disappeared at the end of February. Sexual maturation began during May /June with the first rains and lasted for about four weeks. Oviposition period was during June and July and hoppers, which have six stages, appeared between July and October and their development lasted 1-2 months. The hoppers density was at its peak during September (27.00±5.15 per tree). Rainfall and relative humidity coincide with the development of hoppers, while adults were encountered during periods of low rainfall and relative humidity.