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Hargeysa, 22 April 2009 –
During the past week, more swarms have been reported in southern Yemen
and, to a lesser extent, in Somaliland.
In southern Yemen, there were a dozen reports of small immature swarms
that migrated into the interior of Shabwah (Ataq, Nisab, Bayhan) during
the second week of April, reaching Marib and Al Abr. Thereafter, some
immature and mature swarms were seen moving from west to east to
villages in Wadi Hadhramaut (Shebam, Sayun). All of these swarms are
thought to have originated from breeding that occurred on the southern
coast in March. Unusually good and widespread rains fell in late March
and early April throughout the interior desert of Shabwah, Hadhramaut
and Mahra provinces from Marib to Shehan on the Oman border. These rains
will allow ecological conditions to become favorable for breeding, and
locusts will mature rapidly and lay eggs by the end of April. Hatching
and band formation are expected to occur from early May onwards.
In Somaliland , ground control operations finished on 12 April against
late instars hopper bands on the coast near Silil. The infestations that
were not treated have now become adults. A few small swarms formed
during the second week and moved from the coast up the escarpment to the
east towards Burao and to the southwest towards Ethiopia. Scattered
adults were reported in the railway area of Ethiopia while groups of
gregarious mature were seen in adjacent areas of Djibouti near Holhol.
As good rains fell in late March and early April on the coast,
escarpment and plateau, the locusts are expected to mature and lay eggs
within a large area between Dire Dawa and Jijiga (Ethiopia) and Silil
and Burao (Somaliland).
All efforts are required by the affected countries to monitor the
current infestations and undertake the necessary control operations in
order to prevent locusts from increasing further and spreading to other
countries in the Region.
Source: FAO
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