Photos of the different stages and phases of the Desert Locust, the most dangerous of all migratory locust species in the world.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UNFAO) operates a global early warning system that monitors the situation and provides alerts and warnings in order to reduce the frequency, duration and intensity of devastating plagues that can quickly wipe out a farmer's livelihood and threaten food security on a national and continental scale.
For more information, visit FAO's Locust Watch (www.fao.org/ag/locusts) or contact the FAO Desert Locust Information Service (eclo@fao.org).
Technical innovations in global Desert Locust early warningFAOLocust
An area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) approach involves a preventative rather than a reactive strategy whereby all individuals of the pest population are targeted in time and space, resulting in more cost-effective and sustainable pest management. FAO’s Desert Locust preventive control strategy is a prime example of AW-IPM. The FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer was invited to present FAO's Desert Locust early warning system and the use of technical innovations at the Third International Conference on Area-wide Management of Insect Pests: Integrating the Sterile Insect and Related Nuclear and Other Techniques at IAEA, Vienna (Austria) on 22 May 2017.
Use of remote sensing, data collection methods & early warning systems in mig...FAOLocust
A presentation made by the FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer at a MesoAmerican workshop on Technological Innovations for the Inclusive Management of Agro-sanitary Risks Associated with Climate Change held in Panama City on 8-10 March 2017. The locust problem, its solution in the context of evolving technologies and human capacities, and the future in the MesoAmerican context are described.
Remote sensing used by FAO DLIS for Desert Locust forecastingFAOLocust
An overview of remote sensing products used from the 1980s to the present for monitoring rainfall and vegetation used in FAO's global Desert Locust early warning system.
2014 CLCPRO/CRC/SWAC Desert Locust Information Officer workshopFAOLocust
National Locust Information Officers from 17 frontline countries affected by the Desert Locust came together for the first time at a 5-day workshop in Agadir, Morocco on 19-23 May 2014. The objective of the workshop was to train participants in using the new eLocust3 system, to become Master Trainers and to discuss issues related to reporting and the RAMSESv4 GIS. The workshop was sponsored by the the FAO regional locust commissions.
Desert Locust Information Officers from ten countries (Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen) and the Desert Locust Control Organization for Eastern Africa (DLCO-EA) participated in the 6th annual workshop held at the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Regional Office in Cairo, Egypt.
The workshop is an informal forum where participants exchange problems and solutions regarding tools they use for Desert Locust monitoring and early warning such as eLocust2 (handheld data logger and satellite transmitter), remote sensing imagery, and RAMSESv3 GIS for data management and analysis. FAO provides a report card on how countries have been doing in terms of quality and timely reporting as part of the early warning system. The workshop contributes to maintaining an effective and updated system.
This year's workshop focussed on training in the new open source version of RAMSESv4 as well as a demonstration of the new revolutionary version of eLocust3. The workshop was organized by the FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region (CRC) and conducted by the FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer who was assisted by three resource persons.
Technical innovations in global Desert Locust early warningFAOLocust
An area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) approach involves a preventative rather than a reactive strategy whereby all individuals of the pest population are targeted in time and space, resulting in more cost-effective and sustainable pest management. FAO’s Desert Locust preventive control strategy is a prime example of AW-IPM. The FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer was invited to present FAO's Desert Locust early warning system and the use of technical innovations at the Third International Conference on Area-wide Management of Insect Pests: Integrating the Sterile Insect and Related Nuclear and Other Techniques at IAEA, Vienna (Austria) on 22 May 2017.
Use of remote sensing, data collection methods & early warning systems in mig...FAOLocust
A presentation made by the FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer at a MesoAmerican workshop on Technological Innovations for the Inclusive Management of Agro-sanitary Risks Associated with Climate Change held in Panama City on 8-10 March 2017. The locust problem, its solution in the context of evolving technologies and human capacities, and the future in the MesoAmerican context are described.
Remote sensing used by FAO DLIS for Desert Locust forecastingFAOLocust
An overview of remote sensing products used from the 1980s to the present for monitoring rainfall and vegetation used in FAO's global Desert Locust early warning system.
2014 CLCPRO/CRC/SWAC Desert Locust Information Officer workshopFAOLocust
National Locust Information Officers from 17 frontline countries affected by the Desert Locust came together for the first time at a 5-day workshop in Agadir, Morocco on 19-23 May 2014. The objective of the workshop was to train participants in using the new eLocust3 system, to become Master Trainers and to discuss issues related to reporting and the RAMSESv4 GIS. The workshop was sponsored by the the FAO regional locust commissions.
Desert Locust Information Officers from ten countries (Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen) and the Desert Locust Control Organization for Eastern Africa (DLCO-EA) participated in the 6th annual workshop held at the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Regional Office in Cairo, Egypt.
The workshop is an informal forum where participants exchange problems and solutions regarding tools they use for Desert Locust monitoring and early warning such as eLocust2 (handheld data logger and satellite transmitter), remote sensing imagery, and RAMSESv3 GIS for data management and analysis. FAO provides a report card on how countries have been doing in terms of quality and timely reporting as part of the early warning system. The workshop contributes to maintaining an effective and updated system.
This year's workshop focussed on training in the new open source version of RAMSESv4 as well as a demonstration of the new revolutionary version of eLocust3. The workshop was organized by the FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region (CRC) and conducted by the FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer who was assisted by three resource persons.
Desert Locust threat in the Sahel 2012 - Informal Donors' Meeting presentatio...FAOLocust
An update of the Desert Locust threat in the Sahel, funding received and action taken that was presented by Keith Cressman (Senior Locust Forecasting Officer) at an Informal Donors' Meeting at FAO Headquarters in Rome on 5 October 2012.
Desert Locust threat in the Sahel 2012 (updated 4 Oct)FAOLocust
An overview of the Desert Locust threat in the Sahel in 2012 explaining the origin and nature of the threat, assistance required, action taken so far, and the current situation and forecast as of 4 October 2012. Prepared by Keith Cressman, FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer, Rome (Italy)
The UN FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer, Keith Cressman, gave a 30-minute keynote presentation on Desert Locust management at the 24th International Congress of Entomology (ICE2012), Daegu, South Korea (19-25 August 2012). An overview of Desert Locust biology and population dynamics, economics and FAO's early warning system are presented.
Presentation made by Keith Cressman at the 40th session of the FAO Desert Locust Control Committee (DLCC) on the results of an online questionnaire about the FAO regional locust commissions (20 June 2012)
Presentation made by Keith Cressman at the 40th session of the FAO Desert Locust Control Committee (DLCC) on the FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in South-West Asia, SWAC (20 June 2012)
Presentation made by Keith Cressman at the 40th session of the FAO Desert Locust Control Committee (DLCC) on the Desert Locust outlook for 2012 (19 June 2012)
Presentation made by Keith Cressman at the 40th session of the FAO Desert Locust Control Committee (DLCC) on the Desert Locust situation from March 2009 to June 2012 (19 June 2012)
Using GIS and remote sensing in the IPM context of early warningFAOLocust
Presentation given at the 12th International IPM Symposium (Memphis, TN USA on 27-29 March 2012) by Keith Cressman.
FAO operates an early warning system to keep the international donor community and some 30 affected countries informed of the Desert Locust situation and potential developments concerning breeding and migration. The system is the basis of the preventive control strategy to reduce plagues. Remote sensing products are used operationally to help detect rainfall and green vegetation in locust habitats and to guide survey teams. Custom GIS applications are utilized in affected countries and at FAO for data analysis. An overview of these technologies, including lessons learned during the past two decades, is presented.
The FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer, Keith Cressman, presented an initial evaluation of the dynamic greenness maps developed by the Dept. of Environmental Sciences and Land Use Planning / Environmetrics and Geomatics at the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Louvain-le-Neuve, Belgium.
The dynamic green vegetation map includes both the spatial and temporal information in one geotiff-formatted file suitable for analysis within the SWARMS GIS. The map shows the evolution of vegetation development for the previous 11 decades (i.e. eleven 10-day periods) for each 250m pixel, indicated in varying shades of red, orange and green. The product informs the user, in this case FAO’s Locust Forecasting Officer, of the spatial-temporal variations of the green vegetation and indirectly of the rainfall distribution through vegetation development. This allows the onset of green vegetation, and ephemeral vegetation (false starts), and the disappearance of vegetation at the end of its developmental cycle to be identified. It also indicates the location of evergreen vegetation that is of less importance to Desert Locust. The reporter presented his initial assessment of the new product, indicating some recession areas where vegetation changes are not detected.
Climate change and locusts in the WANA regionFAOLocust
A presentation made by Keith Cressman, FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer, at the WMO/FAO International Conference of Adaptation to Climate Change and Food Security in West Asia and North Africa (Kuwait City, 13-16 Nov 2011). The presentation gives an overview of Desert Locust population dynamics, climatological effects and adaptation strategies.
The Desert Locust is probably the oldest and most feared migratory pest in the world, plaguing farmers in Africa and Asia since Phaoronic times. Under optimal conditions, locusts increase rapidly and form swarms. A single swarm, larger than Paris or Cairo, can contain billions of insects, migrate across continents, and eat enough food for 2,500 people in one day. During plagues, vulnerable households can find themselves in debt, limited national resources are rapidly depleted and food security can be at risk in affected countries. It can take several years and hundreds of millions of dollars to bring a plague to an end. Changes in the climate during the remainder of this century will affect Desert Locust habitats, breeding, migration and plague dynamics in West Asia and North Africa (WANA). Although it is widely acknowledged that WANA will become warmer, there are differing views about changes in precipitation under the various climate change scenarios. General trends may contain hidden variations within the regions and countries. Certain areas will become more prone to extreme events such as flooding and droughts. Regular assessment of climate change impacts is a component of the locust early warning system operated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to monitor the global situation and alert locust-affected countries and international donors. The latest scientific evidence is reviewed to postulate potential effects on the Desert Locust. It is probably reasonable to assume that this ancient pest, which is particularly well suited for survival under difficult conditions in arid areas and has successfully endured previous changes in the climate, will adapt to climate changes in the foreseeable future.
Desert Locust threat in the Sahel 2012 - Informal Donors' Meeting presentatio...FAOLocust
An update of the Desert Locust threat in the Sahel, funding received and action taken that was presented by Keith Cressman (Senior Locust Forecasting Officer) at an Informal Donors' Meeting at FAO Headquarters in Rome on 5 October 2012.
Desert Locust threat in the Sahel 2012 (updated 4 Oct)FAOLocust
An overview of the Desert Locust threat in the Sahel in 2012 explaining the origin and nature of the threat, assistance required, action taken so far, and the current situation and forecast as of 4 October 2012. Prepared by Keith Cressman, FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer, Rome (Italy)
The UN FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer, Keith Cressman, gave a 30-minute keynote presentation on Desert Locust management at the 24th International Congress of Entomology (ICE2012), Daegu, South Korea (19-25 August 2012). An overview of Desert Locust biology and population dynamics, economics and FAO's early warning system are presented.
Presentation made by Keith Cressman at the 40th session of the FAO Desert Locust Control Committee (DLCC) on the results of an online questionnaire about the FAO regional locust commissions (20 June 2012)
Presentation made by Keith Cressman at the 40th session of the FAO Desert Locust Control Committee (DLCC) on the FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in South-West Asia, SWAC (20 June 2012)
Presentation made by Keith Cressman at the 40th session of the FAO Desert Locust Control Committee (DLCC) on the Desert Locust outlook for 2012 (19 June 2012)
Presentation made by Keith Cressman at the 40th session of the FAO Desert Locust Control Committee (DLCC) on the Desert Locust situation from March 2009 to June 2012 (19 June 2012)
Using GIS and remote sensing in the IPM context of early warningFAOLocust
Presentation given at the 12th International IPM Symposium (Memphis, TN USA on 27-29 March 2012) by Keith Cressman.
FAO operates an early warning system to keep the international donor community and some 30 affected countries informed of the Desert Locust situation and potential developments concerning breeding and migration. The system is the basis of the preventive control strategy to reduce plagues. Remote sensing products are used operationally to help detect rainfall and green vegetation in locust habitats and to guide survey teams. Custom GIS applications are utilized in affected countries and at FAO for data analysis. An overview of these technologies, including lessons learned during the past two decades, is presented.
The FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer, Keith Cressman, presented an initial evaluation of the dynamic greenness maps developed by the Dept. of Environmental Sciences and Land Use Planning / Environmetrics and Geomatics at the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Louvain-le-Neuve, Belgium.
The dynamic green vegetation map includes both the spatial and temporal information in one geotiff-formatted file suitable for analysis within the SWARMS GIS. The map shows the evolution of vegetation development for the previous 11 decades (i.e. eleven 10-day periods) for each 250m pixel, indicated in varying shades of red, orange and green. The product informs the user, in this case FAO’s Locust Forecasting Officer, of the spatial-temporal variations of the green vegetation and indirectly of the rainfall distribution through vegetation development. This allows the onset of green vegetation, and ephemeral vegetation (false starts), and the disappearance of vegetation at the end of its developmental cycle to be identified. It also indicates the location of evergreen vegetation that is of less importance to Desert Locust. The reporter presented his initial assessment of the new product, indicating some recession areas where vegetation changes are not detected.
Climate change and locusts in the WANA regionFAOLocust
A presentation made by Keith Cressman, FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer, at the WMO/FAO International Conference of Adaptation to Climate Change and Food Security in West Asia and North Africa (Kuwait City, 13-16 Nov 2011). The presentation gives an overview of Desert Locust population dynamics, climatological effects and adaptation strategies.
The Desert Locust is probably the oldest and most feared migratory pest in the world, plaguing farmers in Africa and Asia since Phaoronic times. Under optimal conditions, locusts increase rapidly and form swarms. A single swarm, larger than Paris or Cairo, can contain billions of insects, migrate across continents, and eat enough food for 2,500 people in one day. During plagues, vulnerable households can find themselves in debt, limited national resources are rapidly depleted and food security can be at risk in affected countries. It can take several years and hundreds of millions of dollars to bring a plague to an end. Changes in the climate during the remainder of this century will affect Desert Locust habitats, breeding, migration and plague dynamics in West Asia and North Africa (WANA). Although it is widely acknowledged that WANA will become warmer, there are differing views about changes in precipitation under the various climate change scenarios. General trends may contain hidden variations within the regions and countries. Certain areas will become more prone to extreme events such as flooding and droughts. Regular assessment of climate change impacts is a component of the locust early warning system operated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to monitor the global situation and alert locust-affected countries and international donors. The latest scientific evidence is reviewed to postulate potential effects on the Desert Locust. It is probably reasonable to assume that this ancient pest, which is particularly well suited for survival under difficult conditions in arid areas and has successfully endured previous changes in the climate, will adapt to climate changes in the foreseeable future.
27. Mixed infestation of early and late instars of gregarious hoppers and immature gregarious adults
Infestation mixte de larves au stade jeunes et âgés, et d’ailés immatures grégaires
ناضجة غير تجمعية كاملة حشرات و املتأخرة و املبكرة األعمار فى تجمعية لحوريات مختلطة إصابة
28. L5 hopper band and fledglings
Bande larvaire L5 et jeunes ailés
مجنحة كاملة حشرات و خامس عمر حوريات مجموعة
29. L5 hoppers and fledglings roosting
L5 perché et jeunes ailés perchés
جاثمة كاملة وحشرات خامس عمر حوريات