Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-2h6rp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-12T09:38:17.515Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Comparative plague dynamics of tropical Locusta (Orthoptera, Acrididae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

R. A. Farrow
R. A. Farrow
Affiliation:
Centre for Overseas Pest Research, College House, Wrights Lane, London W8 5SJ
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The occurrence and causes of plagues of tropical Locusta spp. are compared for the three major outbreak areas, Middle Niger of Mali (L. migratoria migratorioides (R. & F.)), south-west Madagascar (L. m. capito (Sauss.)), and Mindanao (Philippines) (L. m. manilensis (Meyen)). Multiplication and concentration are the two most important processes involved and may occur concurrently or sequentially depending on the outbreak area. In the Middle Niger and Madagascar heavy rainfall, through its effect of increasing multiplication, is the key density-disturbing factor, whereas on Mindanao the factor is drought leading to concentration of locusts. Variations in multiplication rates are determined by the response of eggs and hoppers to desiccation and by the density-dependent effects of fecundity and natural enemies. Concentration is caused by the restriction of favourable breeding habitats in relation to the seasonal population displacements and, because it occurs at different seasons in the three outbreak areas owing to their differing climates and geographies, profoundly modifies the timing of outbreaks. Man's modification of the environment, particularly in relation to the dry season survival of Locusta, has caused outbreaks to occur in new areas. Long-term solutions to the problem of controlling such outbreaks lie in the field of management rather than in the continued use of insecticides because of the continued reinfestation from surrounding populations. The use of natural enemies does not as yet show any promise as a means of controlling outbreaks of tropical Locusta.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 64 , Issue 3 , November 1974 , pp. 401 - 411
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Coleno, P. (1932). Contribution à l'étude des acridiens migrateurs du Soudan.—Bull. Com. Étud. hist. scient. Afr. occid. fr. 14 (1931), 218–292.Google Scholar
Farrow, R. A. (1971). Band formation in low density populations of Locusta migratoria migratorioides R. & F. in the Middle Niger in relation to outbreaks.—Proc. XIII int. Congr. Ent., Moscow, 1968 (2), 326–327.Google Scholar
Farrow, R. A. (1972 a). Phase changes in the African migratory locust, Locusta migratoria migratorioides (R. & F.), in its main outbreak area on the middle Niger in 1967–1968 in relation to outbreaks. In Hemming, C. F. and Taylor, T. H. C. (Eds) Proceedings of the International Study Conference on the current and future problems of acridology, London 1970, 315–330.—London, Centre for Overseas Pest Research.Google Scholar
Farrow, R. A. (1972 b). The African migratory locust in its main outbreak area on the Middle Niger: quantitative studies of solitary populations in relation to environmental factors.—Ph.D. Thesis, University of Reading.Google Scholar
Farrow, R. A. (in press). Quantitative studies of solitary populations of the African migratory locust in lie Middle Niger outbreak area.—Locusta no. 11.Google Scholar
Müller, W. (1972). Rapport final de l'expert. FAO/UNDP (SF)MML(MET)3, 24 pp.Google Scholar
Otanes, F. Q. (1940). Notes on the oriental migratory locust (Locusta migratoria manilensis Meyen) with special reference to its solitary phase and breeding place or outbreak area.—Philipp. J. Agric. 11, 331–353.Google Scholar
Otanes, F. Q. (1951). The migratory locust problem in the Philippines and its permanent solution.—Agric. Yb., Manila 1949–1950, 250–257.Google Scholar
Roffey, J. (1972). Locusta outbreaks in the Philippines.—Acrida 1, 177–188.Google Scholar
Roffey, J. & Popov, G. B. (1968). Environmental and behavioural processes in a desert locust outbreak.—Nature, Lond. 219, 446–450.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Têtefort, J. P. (1966). Facteurs favorisant la grégarisation de Locusta migratoria capito (Sauss.) dans le sud et le sud-ouest de Madagascar.—Agron. trop., Nogent 21, 1382–1385.Google Scholar
Têtefort, J. P. & Wintrebert, D. (1966). Effets édaphique et biotique de l'inversion pluviométrique des saisons, important facteur de pullulation des acridiens migrateurs dans le sud-ouest Malgache.—Entomophaga 11, 305–310.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uichanco, L. B. (1936). Secular trends of locust outbreaks in the Philippines and their apparent relation with sunspot cycles.—Philipp. Agric. 25, 321–355.Google Scholar
Uvarov, B. P. (1936). The oriental migratory locust (Locusta migratoria manilensis Meyen 1835).—Bull. ent. Res. 27, 91–104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uvarov, B. P. (1966). Grasshoppers and locusts. A handbook of general acridology. Vol. 1.—481 pp. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Verdier, M. (1970). Diapause embryonnaire de Locusta de basses latitudes: influence de l'âge des parents et de la photoperiode.—C.r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris (D) 270, 148–151.Google Scholar
Verdier, M. (1972). The different life cycles in Locusta in relation to climatic and genetic diversity. In Hemming, C. F. & Taylor, T. H. C. (Eds) Proceedings of the International Study Conference on the current and future problems of acridology, London 1970, 335–338.—London, Centre for Overseas Pest Research.Google Scholar
Winstanley, D. (1973). Recent rainfall trends in Africa, the Middle East and India.—Nature, Lond. 243, 464–465.Google Scholar
Wintrebert, D. (1970). Identité, écologie et comportement du criquet migrateur dans le sud-ouest Malgache.—Annls Soc. ent. Fr. (N.S.) 6, 35–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar