3. Other African locusts

There are three other plague species of locust in Africa south of the Sahara: the African Migratory Locust, the Red Locust and the Brown Locust. All these species have one important difference in common from the Desert Locust. Whereas the Desert Locust can form large populations leading to plagues in several geographically separate parts of its distribution, the other African species have been shown to have more restricted outbreak areas. This knowledge has been used to prevent further plagues in the first two species by siting control organisations in or near the outbreak areas. These organisations have kept populations small and restricted. Figure 7 compares the annual fluctuations in the number of countries infested from 18871 970.

While chemical control of the Brown Locust has not prevented swarming or reduced the frequency of outbreaks it has, nevertheless, reduced the area subject to invasion and breeding and the intensity of swarming and crop damage.