1. SUMMARY

The Desert Locust situation continued to remain calm during May. A few solitarious adults were present in southern Egypt, north-western Somalia and in the spring breeding areas of western Pakistan. Limited breeding could occur at the end of the forecast period in the areas which received rains during May or when the rainy season start. No significant developments are expected in the recession area.

Western Region. No locusts were reported in the Region. Locust numbers are thought to be at an extremely low level, though habitat conditions are likely to be acceptable for survival in Adrar des Iforas, Mali, and in Tamesna, Niger, and remained suitable for breeding in north-western Libya. No significant developments are expected during the forecast period.

Insignificant numbers of solitarious adults persisted at several places in south-eastern Egypt between the Red Sea coast and Lake Nasser. Low number of hoppers and adults were reported in north-western Somalia where conditions improved during May. No locusts were reported elsewhere in the Region and no significant developments are expected during the forecast period.

Eastern Region.

Low numbers of solitarious adults were present in interior areas of Baluchistan in western Pakistan, where the conditions were reported to be dry during the month. The scale of the adult movement to the summer breeding areas along the Indo-Pakistan border is expected to be extremely small this year with, at most, only a few individual adults appearing by the onset of the monsoon rains. No locusts were reported in Iran or India.

In West Africa, the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) was located around 15°N during the month, reaching 20° on 28th May, and moving southwards on 7th, 14th and 30th May. As a result, only light rains were reported in some areas of the northern Sahelian belt, in Mauritania, Mali and Niger. In Mauritania, moderate to locally strong easterly to north-easterly winds prevailed during the first half of May. North to north-easterly prevailing winds were weak to moderate during the second half. Temperatures increased and the maximum varied between 23 and 35°C. Annual vegetation is now totally dry in the northern part of the country. In northern Niger, light rains were reported from eastern Aïr (6 and 8 May) and the Ighazer area (12 May), and an aerial survey on 24 May indicated that patches of green vegetation were present in Tamesna. Elsewhere in the Region, dry and unfavourable conditions persisted except in northern Mali where patches of drying vegetation may still be present.

In North-West Africa, as a result of depressions located over the Mediterranean basin, light rain fell over Tunisia on 5-12 May and again on 23-26 May. In Morocco, traces were reported from two locations on the Atlantic coast, and light rain occurred on the eastern side of the Atlas Mountains. Traces and light rain were reported in Western and Central Sahara and in the Hoggar Mountains, in Algeria, where temperatures continued to increase during the month. Maximum temperatures reached 41°C in the Central Sahara and minimum temperatures varied from 9 to 26°C over the Algerian Sahara as a whole. Prevailing winds were light over the southern part of the country. It was reported that conditions were unfavourable for any locust activity in the traditional breeding areas. Traces were reported over north-western Libya where the vegetation remained green and an heavy rain (70 mm) fell in the south-east, at Kufra, on 27 May. Except for north-western Libya, conditions remained unsuitable for breeding in the Region.

In Eastern Africa, light rains fell in the summer breeding areas of Sudan south of 15°N, in North Kordofan and West Darfur, during the last dekad of May. An heavy rain was reported on the Red Sea coast, in the Suakin area. In Somalia, light to moderate rains fell during the first two dekads of May over the north-west where a low to moderate cover of green vegetation was reported after mid-May surveys. During the same period, light to moderate rains were also reported from Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, where suitable conditions may persist. In Djibouti, light rains were reported around the capital on 5 May. Conditions started to improve in some parts of the summer breeding area of the Region during the month.

In the Near East, green vegetation was reported in the southern Red Sea coast of Egypt. Light rains fell for the third consecutive month in the interior of Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, dry conditions, unsuitable for any locust activity, are reported, because temperature have increased. Traces to light rain were reported in the Asir Mountains, in the South, where the vegetation is locally green. In Yemen, moderate to heavy rains fell over some places in the interior of Marib and Shabwah during the first dekad of May and green vegetation was reported near Harib. Moderate rains fell over southern parts of the Tihama during mid-May. Light rains were also reported in Oman and Qatar. Consequently, conditions are slowly improving in the Region.

In South-West Asia, south-westerly prevailing winds were established by mid-May. Moderate rain was reported in Baluchistan, in Iran. In Pakistan, only isolated showers fell over the summer breeding areas. Consequently, the conditions deteriorated during the month in the spring breeding area. In India, light rain was reported throughout the month in Rajasthan, at Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaipur. Breeding conditions were improving in the summer breeding areas as confirmed by surveys carried out during the second half of April and during May.

No control operations were reported.

No locust was reported in May.

No reports received.

No locust was reported during the month.

No reports received.

No reports received.

No locusts were reported during May.

No reports received.

No reports received.

No reports received.

No locusts were reported.

No reports received.

Isolated immature adults were seen at Hosweyne (1023N/4322E) and at Sanaag (0945N/4521E), and 5th instar isolated hoppers were found at Biji (1018N/4403E) during a ground survey carried out on 14-19 May. The densities were of 25 to 100 adults per ha and 1 hopper per square meter.

No reports received.

No locusts were reported.

No locusts were reported during surveys carried out in the first half of May in the Interior, in the Asir mountains and near Mecca, where a few adults were present last month.

No locust was reported in May.

On 20 May, isolated immature adults, at a density of 2 adults per ha, were reported at seven locations on the Red Sea coastal plains and in adjacent subcoastal areas south and west of Halaib (2212N/3635E). Similar populations were observed at four locations in cultivated areas around Lake Nasser.

No reports received.

No locust was reported in May.

No reports received.

No reports received.

A late report indicates that no locusts were observed during survey carried out the second half of April along the Iran border. During the first half of May, a few solitary mature adults at densities varying from 1 to 3 per ha, were observed at four locations in eastern Baluchistan in the Karachi (2542N/6637E and 2535N/6640E) and Quetta (2705N/6605E and 2819N/6507E) regions.

No locusts were reported during surveys carried out in Rajasthan during the second half of April and from 1st to 23 May.

No reports received.

Based on the results of the survey carried out in mid-April in the south-western coastal plains, an emergency FAO project was prepared and became operational in May. On 23-26 May, more than 30,000 ha of late instar hoppers and adults of Malagasy Migratory Locust (Locusta migratoria capito) were successfully treated under the supervision of an FAO consultant and with the full involvement of the National Anti-Locust Centre (CNA) . In the five treated sites, the average locust densities were of 2 hoppers/m2 and 5,000 adults/ha. The balance of transiens populations varied from 60 to 90%. 24 hours after the treatment, 75 to 90% of the hoppers were dead or dying and 20 to 70% of the adults were dead. The mortality reached 90 to 100% for the hoppers an 90 to 95% for the adults 72 hours after treatment. The locust situation is now under control in the south-western part of Madagascar and the treatments were stopped.

Locust reporting. Affected countries are kindly reminded to make sure that locust situation reports are sent to FAO HQ by the 25th day of the month so the information can be included in the FAO bulletin for the current month; otherwise, it will not appear until the following month. Reports should be sent even if no locusts were found or if no surveys were conducted.

Reporting by email. Affected countries are encouraged to send completed FAO Desert Locust Survey and Control Forms with a brief interpretation of the results by email to eclo@fao.org.

NW Africa Regional Workshop. Pictures from a CLCPANO training workshop on locust survey and control recently held in Ghadames, Libya are available on the internet:

SIZE=1> http://www.fao.org/news/global/locusts/clcpano/0103lib/0103lib.htm

Khartoum University. The Graduate College of the University of Khartoum is offering a one year post-graduate diploma course in Desert Locust Control which is expected to start in August 2001. Applications should be sent during May to: Registrar of the Graduate College, University of Khartoum, P.O. Box 321, Khartoum, Sudan.

Desert Locust Control Committee. The 36th Session will be held in Rome from 24-28 September 2001. It has been noted that this occasion will fall on the 50th Anniversary of FAO’s official involvement in Desert Locust management. In 1951, an Advisory Committee on Locust Control was established by a decision taken at the Sixth FAO Conference.

Pesticide Referee Group. The 9th meeting will be held during the last quarter of 2001. Results of any field trials recently undertaken on the efficiency and human/environmental safety of control agents used against locusts and grasshoppers should be submitted as soon as possible o the Locust Group for transmission to the PRG.