Locust pests have been a danger to crop crops for virtually our entire history. At the beginning of this year 2022 a great plague of locusts devastated the crops of a large number of countries in Africa, in addition to Pakistan and India. At the other extreme, already in ancient texts such as the Iliad, the Bible or the Koran they are mentioned, and even the ancient Egyptians knew about their ravages.
Lobsters, also known as grasshoppers or grasshoppers, change their behavior and unite in huge swarms of great voracity when certain conditions exist for their reproduction, among other aspects. If you want to learn how to eliminate a locust infestation in your crops, join us in this Green Ecologist article in which we talk about various options.
Locust plague: which plants do they affect?
Before going into details about how to remove grasshoppers from plants and crops, we want to clarify that when these are united in the large swarms that form the so-called locust pests, they become a natural disaster in the area through which they pass of proportions difficult to imagine for anyone who has not witnessed it.
One of the most harmful species is the desert locust, which when it forms swarms, feeds on practically any green leaf and grain or seed within its reach. These swarms are very voracious, and in them each insect can feed on its weight in plants each day. Considering that they form swarms of more than 1,000 square kilometers, and up to 80 million locusts per square kilometer, so the numbers speak for themselves.
They are very voracious insects that they destroy all kinds of crops, seriously damaging the economy and livelihood of entire countries, by drastically reducing the amount of food of the people in the area.
How to eliminate a locust infestation - chemicals
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to deal with large swarms of locusts when they show up. Most effective large-scale treatments rely on the use of pesticides and chemicals that can be harmful to other animals, including humans. In addition, many of these products are only effective when applied in the early stages of lobster development, so it is vital to be able to detect the threat in advance and thus be able to treat the terrain in time.
Among the resources at our disposal are the insect growth regulating pesticides, which affect young insects when they shed and grow. They are applied in several narrow lines on the ground, so that by the time the insects have passed through several of the bands, they have absorbed enough pesticide to die when shedding.
Also exist biopesticides, What are they natural mushrooms that when applied on young lobsters, they end up eliminating them. This is an expensive treatment, but it is not harmful to humans or other living things.
How to eliminate a plague of locusts - natural remedies
We can also use natural remedies to eliminate a locust infestation. In fact, this is always the best option when we are faced with smaller pests, which can affect our garden or garden. Natural remedies have much milder consequences on the environment, and we do not pollute the environment. Take note:
- One of the most natural measures that exists is to resort to biological pest control. This is the oldest system in the world, and it consists of simply attracting or putting on the ground to treat predators that feed on the pest. In the case of locusts or grasshoppers, some of the species that work best are chickens and ducks. Both species of birds find in these insects one of their favorite foods, and in the case of chickens, we will also have all the other advantages that can be derived from their organic farming, including fresh eggs to eat and guano to make natural fertilizer of great value. We can also use various arachnids or parasitoid flies, which are quite effective. Learn more about this technique in this other post on Biological Pest Control: what it is, advantages, disadvantages and examples.
- Another of the home remedies to eliminate grasshoppers is a natural insecticide that is a ecological antilangostas What can you do with just water and seeds of Melia azedarach or tree of Paradise. Take about 100 or 125 grams of these seeds and grind them with the help of a mortar, as fine as you can. Dilute them in half a liter of water, stir vigorously and let the mixture rest overnight. After that, filter it and apply it with the help of a spray bottle. Use the mixture on all the plants to be protected, making sure to cover them completely. It is preferable to apply at dawn or dusk, which is when the plants will least accuse this moisture on them, and renew the application once a week. Keep in mind that it is a mixture that, although it is totally natural, is toxic for most animals, so be especially careful with your pets or with children in the treated area.
- You can also use a solution with garlic, onion and chillies, hot peppers or chili. They are sufficient separately, but you can also add them all to the mix if you prefer to make sure. Blend the ingredients and filter them, and then dilute this concentrated solution in four parts of water for each part of the mixture.
Learn more about pests in crops and plants with this other guide from Green Ecologist on Plant Pests and Diseases: Lists and How to Eliminate Them.
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