Locusts in a Saudi Arabian Desert

SimoneFlen' · #1 ● 03-11-2020, 09:38 AM

9th March 2020

Locust swarms ‘adapting’ to weather as footage shows millions in ‘formation’

Chilling footage has shown millions of locusts forming small groups in the desert to battle high winds as a plague continues to sweep across east Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Billions of locusts have ravaged crops in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia in recent months – leading to food shortages in countries that already suffer severe poverty.

Swarms as big as 60km across have also spread to Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan and even China.

Apocalyptic footage has surfaced showing skies turning black as the bugs swarm over cities.

But a new video has now emerged that appears to show the locusts adapting to weather conditions to continue their march.

The video shows dozens of black arrow-like objects on the sand in a desert in Saudi Arabia.

As the cameraman gets closer, it becomes clear that the “blobs” are actually formed of thousands of locusts.

When he walks towards them the insects start lifting off to escape.

The clip was shared by Saudi Arabian news outlet Al Arabiya on Twitter early this morning.

They wrote: “Social media users across Saudi Arabia are sharing a video showing swarms of locusts in group formations as they attempt to battle desert winds, as authorities across the Gulf region attempt to ward off what many are calling a ‘locust invasion’.”

Authorities in Saudi Arabia have desperately tried to stem the locust invasion by spraying thousands of litres of pesticides in agricultural regions.

Last month, the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Water said they had managed to clear 2,600 hectares of land of desert locusts.

Fears have mounted, though, that a second wave of locusts could soon arrive after they were seen hatching in Kenya.