Western Region. Low numbers of solitarious adults were present in western Mauritania and northern Niger during October where small-scale breeding was in progress in a few places. A similar situation is likely in northern Mali. At least another generation of breeding is proably required before locust numbers are likely to start reaching threatening levels but this is not likely to occur because the summer rains have stopped and vegetation is drying out. During the forecast period, scattered adults are expected to appear and lay on a limited basis in northwestern Mauritania where unusually heavy rains fell in late September.

Central Region. No locusts were reported in the Region during October. Summer breeding has probably ended in the interior of Sudan where little rain fell in the past month and vegetation is drying out. During the forecast period, low numbers of adults are likely to appear and lay on the Red Sea coast, primarily in the Tokar Delta of Sudan, which received heavy rainfall in late October, and to a lesser extent on the surrounding plains as far south as northern Eritrea. On the eastern side of the Red Sea, scattered adults are likely to be present and will lay in coastal areas of Yemen and near Jizan, Saudi Arabia where good rains have fallen on a regular basis since July. In the Western Desert of Egypt, grasshoppers and African Migratory Locusts, mixed with a few Desert Locusts, were treated in cropping areas near the Sudanese border.

Eastern Region. Low numbers of solitarious adults persisted in the summer breeding areas along the Indo-Pakistan border where vegetation was becoming dry in most places. During the forecast period, further breeding is not likely to occur and locust numbers will decline in both countries. No significant developments are expected.

In West Africa, the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) continued to retreat southwards during October, reaching about 10°N by the end of the month. Consequently, very little rain fell during October in the Sahel except for a few isolated showers in Mauritania and Niger. Vegetation was reported to be drying out in most areas. In Mauritania, the only report of significant rainfall was in Tagant at Moudjeria (43 mm) on the 10th although rains may have extended further north into El Khatt as far as Oujeft. Breeding conditions remain favourable in southwestern Tagant, southern Adrar, northern Trarza and northern Brakna. Conditions are improving in western Inchiri because of unusually heavy rains in late September. In Mali, no rainfall was reported or thought to have occurred in the north where vegetation is likely to be drying out. In northern Niger and eastern Chad, no rains were reported and vegetation is becoming dry.

In North-West Africa, only scattered showers were reported and breeding conditions continued to be unfavourable. In Morocco, light to moderate rains fell at times during October on the southern side of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco at Errachidia. Dry vegetation was reported in Oued Draa and further south in the Adrar Souttouf region. In Algeria, light rains were reported in the northwest, between Bechar and Timimoun, but vegetation was dry.

In Eastern Africa, rainfall declined in the summer breeding areas of Sudan where only light showers were reported in a few places of Northern Kordofan and Khartoum during the first week of October. Consequently, vegetation is drying out in all areas. Early rains fell in the winter breeding areas along the southern coastal plains of the Red Sea at the end of the month. On the 25th, light rains were reported between Suakin and Tokar Delta and heavy showers fell in Tokar. Cold cloud activity suggests that additional rains may have occurred from Tokar to Karora, Eritrea during the second half of the month and light showers may have fallen on the northern coast of Sudan near Mohamed Qol on the 26th. Consequently, breeding conditions are likely to be improving in Tokar Delta and to a lesser extent on the coastal plains from Suakin to Karora. In northern Somalia, light to moderate showers fell on the escarpment near Hargeisa where conditions are likely to be favourable for breeding.

In the Near East, significant cold cloud activity was present and good rains fell along the Red Sea coastal plains of Yemen extending north to Jizan, Saudi Arabia during October. Good rains have fallen on a regular basis in this area since July. As a result, conditions are expected to be favourable for breeding in the main wadis and to a lesser extent elsewhere on the coastal plains. Elsewhere, dry conditions prevailed throughout the region.

In South-West Asia, high temperatures prevailed in the summer breeding areas along the Indo-Pakistan border. In India, light to moderate rains were reported during the first half of October in Rajasthan at Barmer, Bikaner and Jodhpur. Breeding conditions remain favourable in parts of Rajasthan, primarily near Palanpur, Jodhpur and Nagaur while vegetation is starting to dry out elsewhere in Rajasthan as well as in adjacent areas of Pakistan.

Egypt 1,824 ha (October, mixed with grasshoppers and African Migratory Locust)

During October, low numbers of locusts were present in a remote area west of Tidjikja (1829N1131W), north of Boutilimit (1740N/1446E) and south of Akjoujt (1945N/1421W). Small-scale breeding was in progress, primarily near Moudjeria (1751N/1228W) where an increasing number of solitarious hoppers was found throughout the month. Initially, isolated hoppers were seen at five locations during the first dekad and, by the end of the month, hoppers of all instars were present at 12 places. Hopper densities increased to 480 hoppers per ha by the last dekad in response to the drying vegetation. Scattered solitarious immature and mature adults at densities of less than 100 per ha were also reported throughout the month in the same area.

No reports received.

Isolated maturing adults were seen at 22 places southeast of Aïr between Agadez (1700N/0756E) and Tanout (1505N/0850E) from 25 September to 24 October. Densities were generally less than 10 adults per ha except for one location where there were 100 adults per ha. During the second half of the month, low numbers of adults at densities less than 5 adults per ha were present at a few places in Tamesna near In Abangharit (1754N/0559E). Small-scale breeding was in progress at four places where solitarious hoppers of all instars were present at densities from less than one to up to five hoppers per sq. metre.

No reports received.

No locusts were reported in the Senegal River Valley up to 20 October.

No locusts were reported during October.

No locusts were seen during surveys conducted in October along the southern side of the Atlas Mountains between Tan-Tan and Errachidia, including Oued Draa, and in the Adrar Souttouf region of the extreme southwest.

No locusts were reported and no surveys were carried out in October.

No reports received.

No locusts were seen during surveys in the Baiyuda desert between Khartoum and Dongola (1910N/3027E) on 29-30 September. No locusts were reported in the summer breeding areas during October.

No reports received.

No locusts were seen during surveys on the Red Sea coastal plains north of Massawa (1537N/3928E) during October. The solitary adults reported in Bulletin No. 276 were confirmed to be Tree Locust.

No reports received.

No locusts were reported up to 17 October.

No locusts were reported and no surveys were carried out in October.

No locusts were reported during October.

No locusts were reported and no surveys were carried out in October.

In the Western Desert, control operations treated 1,824 ha of grasshoppers and African Migratory Locusts, mixed with a few Desert Locusts, in cropping areas at Sh. Oweinat (2219N/2845E) on 16 October. No locusts were reported elsewhere in the country.

No reports received.

No locusts were reported and no surveys were carried out in October.

No reports received.

No locusts were seen during surveys in Bushehr and Sistan Baluchistan on 6-7 October.

During the first half of October, isolated solitarious maturing adults at densities up to 1-5 per ha were reported at 13 locations in the Tharparkar, Nara and Cholistan deserts along the Indo-Pakistan border. Similar populations were reported during the second half of the month at the same number of locations.

Late reports indicate that isolated maturing adults at densities of 1-3 adults per ha were present during the first half of September at four places in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan. Second instar hoppers at densities of 1-2 per sq. m. were reported near Jaisalmer on the 6th, suggesting that small scale breeding was in progress in a few areas. During the second half of the month, locusts were seen at five places in Jaisalmer and one place in Bikaner districts where a maximum density of 11 adults per ha were reported.

During the first half of October, adult densities continued to increase gradually near Jaisalmer where isolated adults at densities of 5-20 per ha were seen at three places.

No reports received.

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.

Desert Locust Guidelines. The revised edition in English was issued on 24 September and is now available from FAO. Please contact the Locust Group for more information.

eLocust. Details of a new system under evaluation for recording and transmitting locust survey and control data collected in the field can be found on the Internet at:

http://www.fao.org/news/2001/010601-e.htm

Publications on the internet. A list of publications that can be downloaded from the FAO Locust webpages is now available (http://www.fao.org/news/global/locusts/pubslist.htm). New additions are:

• Report of the 36th session of the DLCC recently held in Rome (English and French)
• FAO Desert Locust Guidelines, revised edition, 2001 (English)
• FAO Spray Monitoring Form (English)

Upcoming meetings. The following meetings are scheduled:

• Expert Consultation on the Registration of Biopesticides for Desert Locust Control, 3-7 December 2001 (Rome)
• 4th EMPRES Consultative Committee Meeting, 15-17 January 2002 (Cairo)
• 23rd session of the FAO Commission for Desert Locust Control in the Central Region (CRC), 9-14 March 2002 (Damascus)