What Have We Learned after Millennia of Locust Invasions?

Michel Lecoq,Arianne Cease

doi:10.3390/agronomy12020472

Abstract

Locust outbreaks have long been a very serious problem for agriculture and livelihoods in many countries globally. This article is an introduction to a Special Issue of the journal Agronomy devoted to the management of these pests. Although not exhaustive, the nineteen articles herein cover a variety of species, many regions of the world and many aspects of pest locust management and research in the early 21st century. This book is a source of information and reflection, as well as a resource, to support new areas of investigation and practice contributing to the process of developing sustainable solutions for locust invasions.

Highlights

Since time immemorial, pest locusts in their gregarious phase have been a very serious problem for agriculture and livelihoods of human populations in many countries around the world
The start of 2020 was marked by the continued South American Locust upsurge—the first major upsurge of this species in 60 years, as well as the onset of a dangerous Desert Locust invasion extending from Kenya to India—the first many of these countries have seen in decades
This Special Issue aims to shed light on the following overarching questions: What have we learned from historical outbreaks? What research is ongoing? What action is needed? How serious is the threat? How should the world respond to plagues today?

Summary

Introduction

Pest locusts in their gregarious phase have been a very serious problem for agriculture and livelihoods of human populations in many countries around the world. The start of 2020 was marked by the continued South American Locust upsurge—the first major upsurge of this species in 60 years, as well as the onset of a dangerous Desert Locust invasion extending from Kenya to India—the first many of these countries have seen in decades. Around twenty-five of the estimated 6700 Acrididae (Order: Orthoptera) species [1] are considered to be major pest locusts to varying degrees [2,3,4,5,6] When populations of these insects increase under favorable ecological conditions, they acquire gregarious and migratory behavior, leading to the formation of spectacular swarms that can migrate vast distances and leave behind devastated crops and desolation (Figure 1). These insects are a source of food for various human populations [7], and swarms certainly have beneficial but largely unknown ecological roles [8]

History of Locusts and People

Summary of Articles Included in This Special Issue