Damon Mcknight
The Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) is a significant agricultural pest that can cause severe damage to pastures and crops. Native to Australia, they primarily occur in inland breeding areas, including Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia. Locusts are ravenous feeders of fresh, green plants, and their ability to migrate in large swarms allows them to devastate crops and pastures overnight. This paragraph will explore the dietary habits of locusts in Australia and the impact they have on the country's agriculture.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Species name | Chortoicetes terminifera |
| Behavioural states | Solitary and gregarious |
| Colour | Brown, grey or green |
| Length | 25-45mm |
| Migration distance | 200-500km |
| Food | Green plant material, grasses, cereals, horticultural crops, vegetables, grapevines, trees |
| Control methods | Ground spraying, aerial spraying, biological insecticides |
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What You'll Learn
- Locusts eat green plant material, including grasses and cereals
- They can also eat horticultural crops, vegetables, grapevines and trees
- Locusts are native to Australia and primarily inhabit inland breeding areas
- They migrate in search of green feed, threatening crops
- Locusts can be controlled with ground and aerial spraying of insecticides
Locusts eat green plant material, including grasses and cereals
The Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) is the most economically significant locust species in Australia. They are native to the country and primarily found in inland breeding areas, including parts of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory. Locusts are known to feed on green plant material, with a particular preference for grasses and cereals.
Australian plague locusts have a ravenous appetite for fresh, green plants, and their feeding behaviour can cause severe damage to pastures, crops, gardens, and parks. They are not picky eaters and will consume a wide range of plants when hungry. While their favourite food is grasses and cereals, they will eat any green plant material they can find, including horticultural crops such as vegetables, grapevines, and trees.
In maturing cereal crops, locusts often target the remaining green part of the stem below the head, resulting in lopped grain heads. High-density swarms of locusts are capable of devastating entire crops overnight. Locusts can form large aggregations known as "bands", which can quickly strip pastures of their greenery. These bands can contain up to 50 insects per square metre, and a swarm covering 2km2 may consist of around 1 billion insects, consuming up to 20 tonnes of vegetation daily.
The life cycle of the Australian plague locust begins with the eggs, which are parasitised by small wasps of the genus Scelio. The wasps' populations increase during locust outbreaks, causing high egg mortality. Locusts then undergo five juvenile growth stages, known as instars, before reaching adulthood. During the second or third instar stage, when band densities reach 80 hoppers per square metre, spraying with insecticides is most effective.
Australian plague locusts are a significant concern for agricultural industries, and their management is crucial to prevent crop damage. Ground spraying with chemical insecticides is the most successful method of controlling locust populations. Small-scale farmers can access chemical and biological insecticides to protect their crops. Additionally, aerial spraying with agricultural insecticides is necessary once the locusts have started flying.
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They can also eat horticultural crops, vegetables, grapevines and trees
The Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) is the most economically impactful locust species in Australia. It is an invasive animal in Queensland and is not restricted or prohibited under the state's legislation. The Australian Plague Locust Commission monitors the movement of locust populations in the country.
Locusts are ravenous feeders of fresh, green plants and can cause severe damage to pastures, horticultural crops, gardens, parks, and sporting grounds if left unmanaged. They prefer to feed on green plant material, and while grasses and cereals are the most attractive to them, all pastures and field crops are at risk. Locusts can migrate over large distances in search of green feed, creating a potential threat to crops.
In the absence of green grass, locusts will eat a wide range of horticultural crops, including vegetables, grapevines, and trees. They can devastate crops and pastures, with a particular affinity for cereal and pulse crops. Locusts often feed on the remaining green parts of the stems below the head in maturing cereal crops, resulting in lopped grain heads. High-density swarms are capable of completely destroying a crop overnight.
To control locusts, landholders are responsible for managing them on their properties. Ground spraying using chemical insecticides is the most successful method. Small-scale farmers can use chemical or biological insecticides to protect their crops from locust damage. Once locusts have fledged or are flying, aerial spraying with agricultural insecticides becomes necessary and is regulated under the Agricultural Chemical Distribution Control Act 1966.
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Locusts are native to Australia and primarily inhabit inland breeding areas
The Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) is the most economically important locust species in the country. Adult locusts range in size from 20 to 45 mm in length, with females being larger than males. They are identifiable by their reddish legs, clear wings with a dark spot, and an 'X'-shaped mark behind the head. Locusts undergo five juvenile growth stages (instars) before reaching adulthood, and immature locusts are known as hoppers or nymphs.
In favourable weather conditions, such as high spring and summer rainfall, locusts can quickly multiply and form large swarms. These swarms can migrate over long distances in search of new food sources, causing infestations in new locations. The first recorded swarm in Australia was in 1844, and since then, the intensity and frequency of locust swarms have increased. Climate change is expected to further influence the spatial patterns of pest outbreaks.
Landholders are responsible for reporting and managing locusts on their land, and various control methods are available, including ground spraying with chemical or biological insecticides. The Australian Plague Locust Commission also plays a crucial role in monitoring and controlling locust outbreaks using control agents and growth regulators.
Overall, while locusts are native to Australia and primarily inhabit inland breeding areas, they pose a significant threat to agriculture and require constant monitoring and management to prevent widespread damage to crops and pastures.
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They migrate in search of green feed, threatening crops
The Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) is the most economically significant locust species in Australia. It is native to the country and primarily found in inland breeding areas, including parts of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory.
Locusts are known for their ability to migrate long distances in search of food, a behaviour that sets them apart from their close relatives, grasshoppers. While grasshoppers are solitary, locusts are social insects that can form large swarms, consisting of billions of insects, when their population density is high. These swarms can migrate in search of green feed, threatening crops and pastures.
The Australian plague locust has a preference for green plant material, particularly grasses and cereals. However, when green grass is scarce, they will feed on a wide range of horticultural crops, including vegetables, grapevines, and trees. This feeding behaviour poses a significant threat to agricultural industries, as locust swarms can devastate crops and pastures in a short period.
The migratory behaviour of adult locusts is driven by their search for green vegetation to feed on. They can travel long distances, sometimes even drowning in the Bass Strait when overshooting continental Australia. Adult locusts are gregarious, meaning they tend to aggregate in large groups. These swarms can fly up to 20km during the daytime, typically at temperatures between 20°C and 35°C and in light winds of less than 3 m/sec.
The impact of locusts on crops is significant. High-density swarms, with more than 50 insects per square metre, can consume up to 20 tonnes of vegetation daily. Locusts in both the nymph and adult stages can cause extensive damage to crops and pastures. Summer crops in Queensland are especially vulnerable, but locusts can attack all types of crops. The rapid invasion of previously uninfested areas and their ability to lay eggs within days contribute to the challenge of swarm control for landholders.
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Locusts can be controlled with ground and aerial spraying of insecticides
Locusts are a significant agricultural pest in Australia, infesting large areas and causing severe damage to crops and pastures. The Australian Plague Locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) is the most economically important locust species in the country. They prefer to feed on green plant material, especially grasses and cereals, but will eat a wide range of horticultural crops if green grass is scarce.
Locusts can be extremely destructive, and if left unmanaged, they can migrate in large swarms over long distances, devastating crops and pastures. To prevent this, it is crucial to control locust populations through effective measures such as ground and aerial spraying of insecticides.
Ground spraying with chemical insecticides is the most successful method of managing locusts. Small-scale farmers can use chemical or biological insecticides to protect their properties from locust damage. However, some small-landholders may not own the necessary spray equipment and may need to seek assistance from neighbouring farmers or licensed commercial operators.
Aerial spraying is another effective method of locust control, especially when conducted at the early stages of an infestation. Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) chemical or biological pesticides can be used for aerial spraying to ensure effective control. Locust Control Units should be established under appropriate ministries to monitor and manage locust populations, with support from organizations like the FAO Desert Locust Information Service (DLIS) in Rome.
To ensure the safe use of pesticides, environmentally friendly products that cause minimum harm to non-target species should be prioritized. Additionally, beekeepers and landholders share responsibility for managing the risk to bees when spraying locusts. Bees can be harmed by direct contact with insecticides or by residue brought back to the hive, potentially causing entire colonies to weaken or die. Therefore, proper precautions and coordination between beekeepers and landholders are essential before spraying.
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Frequently asked questions
Locusts in Australia eat green plant material. They are particularly attracted to grasses and cereals, but they will also eat a wide range of horticultural crops, including vegetables, grapevines, and trees.
Locusts can cause severe damage to pastures, crops, gardens, parks, and sporting grounds. They can migrate over large distances in search of green feed, and their ability to fly and invade previously uninfested areas makes them difficult to control. High-density swarms can devastate crops overnight, and a swarm of 1 billion insects can eat 20 tonnes of vegetation per day.
Farmers use insecticides to control locusts on their properties. Ground spraying is the most successful method, but aerial spraying is necessary once the locusts have grown wings and become more mobile.
