Where should land managers look for signs of locust activity?
Farmers should remain vigilant in looking for signs of locust activity and maintain a continuous monitoring program throughout the entire season. Crops and pastures should be inspected thoroughly, not just around boundaries. Farmers should particularly focus on areas where locusts were observed in autumn. Egg beds clearly identified and marked in autumn can then be closely monitored for emerging nymphs in the spring. Hatching will occur as the weather warms up and generally occurs from late August (west of the State) through to October (central areas). Eggs laid in late spring or summer will usually hatch within a few weeks under favourable conditions. All plague locust activity must be reported to your local Livestock Health and Pest Authority as soon as practical.
