FAO DESERT LOCUST BULLETIN NO. 284 1. SUMMARY The Desert Locust situation continued to be
calm during May. Only a few individual adults were seen in western
Pakistan. Conditions remained dry in most areas except in parts of eastern
Ethiopia and northwestern Somalia. A tropical depression caused heavy
rains and flooding in southern Oman but no locusts have been reported so
far. Small-scale breeding is likely to commence in the Sahel of West
Africa and Sudan with the onset of the summer rains. No significant
developments are likely during the forecast period. Western Region. No locusts were reported in the region
during May and conditions were dry except in a few parts of central
Mauritania where there is enough green vegetation to allow low
numbers of locusts to survive. There were unconfirmed reports of swarms
and adult concentrations in northern Mali during March and April.
Most of these are expected to Tree Locust rather than Desert Locust.
Small-scale breeding is likely to occur in southern Mauritania, northern
Mali and Niger with the onset of the summer rains. No significant
developments are likely. Central Region. No locusts were reported in the region
during May. Unusually heavy rains associated with a tropical depression
fell in southern Oman and flooding occurred in some places. Good
rains also fell in parts of eastern Ethiopia and northwestern
Somalia where conditions are favourable for breeding. Small-scale
breeding is likely to occur in western and central Sudan with the
onset of the summer rains. No significant developments are likely. Eastern Region. Dry conditions prevailed throughout the
region. A few individual locusts were seen in the spring breeding areas in
western Pakistan where vegetation was drying out. No locusts were
seen during a joint Iran/Pakistan survey of the spring breeding areas in
April. 2. WEATHER & ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN MAY 2002 Conditions remained dry and unfavourable for breeding throughout the
Desert Locust recession area during May. A tropical depression caused
heavy rains and flooding in southern Oman. Rainfall also occurred in parts
of eastern Africa. Temperatures were high in the Sahel of West Africa and
Sudan prior to the onset of the summer rains. In West Africa, very little rainfall occurred and mainly
dry conditions prevailed throughout the region in May. In Mauritania,
widespread clouds were present over southern and central areas on the
22-26th. This gave rise to light rainfall in Kiffa and Akjoujt and traces
in Aioun and Tidjikja. Ecological conditions were reported to be
favourable for locust survival but not breeding in southwest Tagant near
El Khatt and Tamassoumit. In Mali, the first rains of the season fell in
the west at Nara on the 17th and light rains occurred at Gao on the 28th.
Strong hot winds associated with dust storms were reported in the Adrar
des Iforas and Timetrine where conditions are favourable for locust
survival. The ITCZ was generally well south of the Desert Locust breeding
areas except at the end of the month when it reached 20°N over Niger. In North-West Africa, light to moderate rainfall associated with
eastward-moving depressions over the Mediterranean occurred in some areas
during May. In Morocco, light rains fell in a few places along the
southern side of the Atlas Mountains. Hot easterly Chergui winds continued
throughout the month, causing temperatures to reach 41°C in the south. The
green vegetation that developed in the extreme southwest during February
and March was reported to be drying out. In Algeria, isolated showers fell
at times during the first half of the month in the northern Sahara where
high temperatures persisted, reaching 40°C. Dry vegetation and
unfavourable breeding conditions persisted elsewhere in the region. In Eastern Africa, mainly dry conditions prevailed throughout
the region during May. Good rains associated with the short rains season
(Belg) fell at times during the first three weeks of the month in parts of
eastern Ethiopia where Jijiga reported 70 mm and Dire Dawa 10 mm. Light
rains also fell in adjacent areas of the interior in northwestern Somalia
between Hargeisa and Boroma. In Sudan, light rains fell in the Eastern
Region near Kassala on the 25th and in parts of Northern Kordofan on the
29th. Conditions are favourable for breeding in northwestern Somalia and
in eastern Ethiopia near Jijiga. They are expected to improve in Northern
Kordofan and near Kassala in Sudan. In the Near East, good rains fell over the southern Arabian
Peninsula in May for the third month in a row. The rains were associated
with a short-lived tropical depression that formed over the Indian Ocean
during the first week of the month and reached the southern coast of Oman
on 9 May. In the next few days, it moved futher inland across the Dhofar
Hills to the edge of the Empty Quarter, then northwards to UAE and
northern Oman until it dispersed on the 13th. Moderate to heavy rains were
concentrated in coastal areas of southern Oman where Raysut reported 67 mm
and Salalah 59 mm, as well as parts of the interior (Thumrait, 24 mm). In
some areas, flooding occurred. Light to heavy rains fell in northern Oman
along the Batinah coast and in the interior regions (Dakhliya, Dhahira,
and Sharkiya) as well as in parts of UAE. There is no indication that the
storm crossed into eastern Yemen. Dry and unfavourable breeding conditions
were reported throughout the region. In South-West Asia, no rainfall was reported in the region
except for light showers in the Baluchistani interior in western Pakistan
at Panjgur at mid-month. Consequently, conditions are dry and unfavourable
for breeding. The southwesterly wind flow from the Horn of Africa that
brings the monsoon rains to subcontinent became established over the
Arabian Sea from the second week of May onwards. 3. AREA TREATED No control operations were reported during May. 4. DESERT LOCUST SITUATION AND FORECAST WEST AFRICA Mauritania - Situation A few isolated adults were reported during the first half of May. - Forecast Low numbers of adults are likely to be present in parts of Inchiri
and southern Adrar as well as in the summer breeding areas of Tagant,
Trarza and northern Brakna. Small-scale breeding will commence with the
onset of the summer rains. No significant developments are likely. Mali - Situation A late report indicated that there were several unconfirmed sightings
of maturing swarms and small concentrations of locusts in the Adrar des
Iforas Aguelhok (1927N/0052E) during March and April. On 15 March, Desert
Locust mixed with Anacridium sp. (Tree Locust) was seen flying northwards
at Aguelhok (1927N/0052E). On 5 April, concentrations were present nearby
at Tirikfen and, on the 8th, locusts were seen flying northwards at
Taouloust (1920N/0040E) and Ratai (1928N/0051E). It is unlikely that any
of these are actually swarms. - Forecast Isolated adults may be present and will persist in
parts of Timetrine and the Adrar des Iforas where vegetation remains
green. Small-scale breeding will commence with the onset of the summer
rains. No significant developments are likely. Niger - Situation No reports received. - Forecast Isolated adults are likely to be present in a few places of Tamesna.
Small-scale breeding will commence with the onset of the summer rains. No
significant developments are likely. Chad - Situation No reports received. - Forecast No significant developments are likely. Senegal - Situation No locusts were reported during May. - Forecast No significant developments are likely. Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau and Guinea Conakry - Forecast No significant developments are likely. NORTH-WEST AFRICA Algeria - Situation No locusts were reported during May. - Forecast No significant developments are likely. Morocco - Situation No locusts were reported during May. - Forecast No significant developments are likely. Libyan Arab Jamahiriya - Situation No locusts were reported and no surveys were carried out during May. - Forecast No significant developments are likely. Tunisia - Situation No locusts were reported during May. - Forecast No significant developments are likely. EASTERN AFRICA Sudan - Situation No locusts were reported and no surveys were carried out during May. - Forecast Isolated adults are likely to appear during the forecast period in
Northern Kordofan and Northern Darfur where small-scale breeding will
commence with the onset of the rains. No significant developments are
likely. Eritrea - Situation No reports received. - Forecast No significant developments are likely. Somalia - Situation No locusts were reported
during May and surveys are planned for June. - Forecast Isolated adults may be present in a few areas along the coastal
plains between Djibouti and Las Koreh and on the escarpment between Boroma
and Erigavo. There is a possibility of breeding in some of these areas
where recent rains have fallen. No significant developments are
likely. Ethiopia - Situation No locusts were seen during surveys carried out near Dire Dawa and
Jijiga on 11-15 May. - Forecast Although conditions may be favourable for breeding, the likelihood
that locusts are present is very low and, consequently, no significant
developments are expected. Djibouti - Situation No reports received. - Forecast No significant developments are likely. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda - Forecast No
significant developments are likely. NEAR EAST Saudi Arabia - Situation No locusts were reported
during May. - Forecast No significant developments are
likely. Yemen - Situation No locusts were
reported and no surveys were carried out during May. - Forecast Low numbers of adults may be present in the interior near Wadi
Hadhramaut and Shabwah. Surveys to clarify the situation are highly
recommended in these areas. Egypt -
Situation No locusts were reported from the Red Sea coastal plains
or in the Western Desert during May. - Forecast No
significant developments are likely. Kuwait -
Situation No reports received. - Forecast No
significant developments are likely. Oman -
Situation No locusts were reported in Musandam and Batinah regions
in the north during May. - Forecast There is a low
possibility that isolated adults may be present in areas of recent
rainfall in the south. No significant developments are likely. United Arab Emirates - Situation No reports
received. - Forecast No significant developments are
likely. Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Syria Arab
Republic and Turkey - Forecast No significant
developments are likely. SOUTH-WEST ASIA Iran - Situation A late report indicated that no
locusts were seen during the Iran/Pakistan Joint Survey carried out in
Sistan-Baluchistan in the first half of April. No locusts were
reported in Hormozgan province in mid May. - Forecast No
significant developments are likely. Pakistan -
Situation During the second half of April, isolated immature and
mature adults were present at densities of 1-3 per ha at 12 locations
along the coast and in the interior of Baluchistan. No locusts were seen
by the Iran/Pakistan Joint Survey that was carried during the same
period. During the first half of May, only individual locust adults
were seen at five locations in Baluchistan. - Forecast Locust numbers will decline in Baluchistan as vegetation becomes
dry. No significant developments are likely. India - Situation No locusts were reported during the second half
of April and the first half of May. - Forecast Small-scale breeding is likely to commence with the onset of the
monsoon rains in Rajasthan. No significant developments are likely. Afghanistan - Situation No reports
received. - Forecast No significant developments are likely. 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS 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 e-mail. Affected countries are encouraged to
send completed FAO Desert Locust Survey and Control Forms with a
brief interpretation of the results by e-mail to eclo@fao.org. Desert Locust Guidelines. The revised edition in English
was issued on 24 September 2001 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: 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 23rd session of the NW Africa Commission (CLCPANO) in French and Arabic - Report of the 36th session of the DLCC recently held in Rome (English and French; Arabic upon request) - FAO Desert Locust Guidelines, revised edition, 2001 (English) - FAO Spray Monitoring Form (English) EMPRES Contingency
Planning Seminar. Details of the seminar recently held in Egypt
are available on the Internet at:
www.fao.org/news/global/locusts/0202cont/CPhome.htm Desert Locust research award. The FAO Commission for
Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region (CRC) is pleased to
announce a cash award for outstanding research on Desert Locust. For more
details, please contact the CRC Office in Cairo
(munir.butrous@fao.org). Desert Locust Control Diploma. The Graduate College of
the University of Khartoum is offering a one year post-graduate diploma
course in Desert Locust Control that is expected to start in August 2002.
Applications should be sent before the first week of June to: Registrar of
the Graduate College, University of Khartoum, POB 321, Khartoum, Sudan.
For more details: Selbashir@hotmail.com Upcoming events. The following are scheduled: - EMPRES/CR. ULV sprayer evaluation workshop, Cairo (Egypt), 23-25 September - EMPRES/WR. DGPS regional workshop, Nouakchott (Mauritania), 5-10 October - EMPRES/CR. Training of Trainers workshop, Oman, 7-17 October - EMPRES/CR. 10th Liaison officers meeting, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), 27-31 October - EMPRES/DLCO-EA/CRC. 2nd Joint meeting, Cairo (Egypt), 5-6 November - EMPRES/WR. 1st Liaison officers meeting, Niamey (Niger), 15-20 December - SW Asia Commission. 23rd Session, Islamabad (Pakistan), 15-19 December
GENERAL SITUATION DURING MAY 2002
FORECAST UNTIL MID-JULY 2002