With an eating capacity as 35,000 people, why India is trembling at the arrival of the Locusts

New Delhi, May 26: Adding to the already existing woes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is the locust attack that threatens the damage standing crops and mess with the food security in the country.

States like Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are facing a locust attack and this has been termed as one of the worst in the past two decades.

These migratory pests can migrate over large distances. The desert locust, now found in India is said to be the most destructive. They can form dense swarms in response to environmental stimuli.

During a plague, it has the potential to affect 20 per cent of the Earth's land and also damage the livelihood of one-tenth of the world's population. They consume their own weight per day and target food crops and forage. The large swarms can contain of adults up to 80 million adults and they have the capacity to consume the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people.

This year, the concerns about the locusts have been raised as they have arrived early.

Normally, the locusts in India are seen between July and October. They generally migrate to India at the onset of the monsoon as rail is conducive for their survival. The Desert Locusts can fly up to 150 kilometres per day and hence are able to migrate over large distances.

They also multiply at a rapid pace and can there can be an exponential increase in the locust numbers with ever new generation of breeding.