Desert locust control strategies

The problems of combating desert locust upsurges change as an upsurge develops. The initial outbreak occurs with little warning and so must be fought by attacking nymphal infestations with the resources on hand. The ultra low volume nymphal target blocks are difficult to define at all stages of an upsurge. Theoretical analysis suggests that the resources that might be expected to be available are unlikely to be sufficient to destroy more than a small part of the nymphal populations. Swarm control, which is possible against the later stages of an upsurge, should be more efficient and more effective. There are no estimates of the effectiveness of campaigns at any stage based on sampling. There is an urgent need for field research to test the theoretical analyses. The assessment of the practical value of recent research must take account of the problems currently faced in combating upsurges with chemical pesticides.