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Locusts swarm across Australia
Signs and portents:A plague of locusts that has devastated crops in the Australian outback has begun migrating south. Heavy rains that ended a long drought in north-eastern Australia has provided ideal breeding conditions for the bugs. Officials said the swarms that appeared in remote parts of Queensland had moved to more built-up New South Wales. Until the weekend, locust fighters thought they had won the battle over Australiaâs worst locust outbreak since December 2000. More than 200,000 hectares (494,000 acres) have been sprayed in a bid to contain the plague. But the heavy rainfalls that ended the drought last month rendered the insecticides virtually useless. "Over the last week, substantial redistribution of adult locusts have occurred with movements into northern New South Wales," said the Australian Plague Locust Commission. New South Wales farmer Joe Davis, who has already lost crops to the locusts, said he had been warned to expect the worst. "In a few days, we will see locusts that will just black the sun out," he told ABC television. "There wonât be a green thing, theyâll even eat the clothes off the washing line." Drought - check. Locusts - check. Sun blotted out...excuse me while I check the supplies in my bunker. Posted by: Steve 2004-03-16 |
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