Posted on 02/19/2020 2:35:09 PM PST by Red Badger
At a Glance
A mature swarm of locusts entered South Sudan this week.Warmer temperatures and more rain have contributed to the outbreak.Some swarms are the size of cities and can move up to 90 miles a day.
The locust outbreak plaguing East Africa has now reached South Sudan as swarms the size of cities continue to move across several countries, fueled by extreme weather and changing climate patterns.
"Studies have linked a hotter climate to more damaging locust swarms, leaving Africa disproportionately affected — 20 of the fastest warming countries globally are in Africa," Richard Munang, United Nations Environment Programme expert on climate and Africa, said in a recent interview posted on the agency's website. "Wet weather also favors multiplication of locusts. Widespread, above average rain that pounded the Horn of Africa from October to December 2019 were up to 400 per cent above normal rainfall amount."
The heavy rains were spurred by a cyclic shift in sea surface temperatures called the Indian Ocean Dipole, known as the ‘El Niño of the Indian Ocean.' The pattern also led to a record level of tropical cyclone activity in the North Indian Ocean, which some researchers have linked to climate change.
(WATCH: Billions of Locusts Descend on Kenya, Threatening Food Supply)
The locust plague is the worst in Kenya in 70 years, and in at least 25 years for other parts of the region. The swarms can move up to 90 miles a day and strip all vegetation in their path, threatening the food supply for millions of people.
"While climate change is a global phenomenon, Africa stands out for its vulnerability which is driven primarily by the prevailing low levels of socioeconomic development," Munang said. "Persons living in poverty face compounding vulnerabilities to climate change impacts because they lack the resources to quickly recover from its effects. In this case, desert locusts are ravaging crops in the field before harvesting, wiping out livestock and wildlife feed, and with them savings, assets and livelihoods."
A mature swarm of locusts entered South Sudan from Uganda on Monday, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's Locust Watch. The movement is especially alarming because half of South Sudan's population already faces food shortages.
Aerial spraying is the most effective way to stop locusts, but aid agencies say there is not enough equipment or funding to adequately beat down the swarms.
Eggs laid by the swarms as they move are expected to hatch in the coming weeks and weather conditions remain favorable for more breeding, according to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development's Climate Prediction and Applications Centre. The agency warned that countries in Eastern Africa should brace for a second round of locust invasions in the next one to two months.
***This has happened in Africa for 1000’s of years,***
Time to rewatch SANDS OF THE KALAHARI in which locusts bring down an airplane in the desert.
Doesn't that only work if you're the Alpha vampire? So you would have to become a vampire first, then infect the vampire bats, cross them with locusts and send them out to infect the population.
You would then have the biggest coven of vampires under your control ever.
As a side effect, you would solve the locust problem as your nation of vampires wouldn’t need vegetation.
EEK! Peter Graves! (just kidding)
He was asking Joey inappropriate questions in the cockpit!
(seemed humorous back then but nowadays...)
All the world needs is a 7-year peace deal that divides Israel for ‘peace and security’ - I believe that will come first, IMHO
Hope you are well
“Studies have linked a hotter climate to more damaging locust swarms, leaving Africa disproportionately affected — 20 of the fastest warming countries globally are in Africa,” Richard Munang, United Nations Environment Programme... “
Total Crap. The swarms are a result of abundant rain in East Africa that created the ideal enviroment for the locusts to breed and thrive.
When we have drought in Australia they blame it on “Global Warming.” When we have abundant rain in East Africa they blame it on “Global Warming.”
These people are liars, charlatans, socialists and worse, only driven by the desire of power over people.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beginning_of_the_End_(film)
Beginning of the End is a 1957 independently made American black-and-white science fiction giant insects film, produced and directed by Bert I. Gordon. It stars Peter Graves, Peggie Castle, and Morris Ankrum. The film’s storyline concerns an agricultural scientist (Graves) who has successfully grown gigantic vegetables using radiation. Unfortunately, the vegetables are eaten by locusts (the swarming phase of short-horned grasshoppers), which quickly grow to a gigantic size and attack the nearby city of Chicago.
we have the same problem here with city sized locust swarms affecting our country...
they’re commonly known as demonrats...
“Wet weather also favors multiplication of locusts. Widespread, above average rain that pounded the Horn of Africa from October to December 2019 were up to 400 per cent above normal rainfall amount.”
Different ecosystem and grasshoppers vs locusts, but the grasshopper plague of the 50s in Nebraska was associated with a series of dry years. The grasshoppers lay their eggs in the ground and fewer survive mold and moisture related effects in normal moisture or wet years. A bigger percentage hatch out & mature in dry weather.
The food source is flying around your head get out the fondue
They are food.
I’ve never seen that one-how did locusts bring down a plane?
Never seen a city sized locust.
Huge swarm clogs the engines.
A great, great 50s sci-fi classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9l-t8QMS5M
Yes. If only we had some chemical that we could spray from airplanes that would kill the insects but not harm anything else....
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