A large-scale locust infestation has been reported near Kryvyi Rih
In the Kryvyi Rih District of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a massive swarm of migratory locusts has been reported, covering fields and vegetation in a solid cloud. Despite pest control measures, local residents report that the number of insects is not decreasing.
Videos posted by local community groups illustrate the scale of the locust infestation.
“The locust swarm continues: a massive cloud of pests was spotted in Velyka Dolyna in the Kryvyi Rih district. There are so many insects that they are literally covering the fields and vegetation,” the post states.
Earlier, authorities in the region announced that they would conduct chemical treatments to combat migratory locusts. Beekeepers were notified well in advance so they could protect their bee colonies from the potential effects of the pesticides.
However, according to local residents, the expected results have not yet been achieved, as the locust infestation continues and the insect population remains very high.
Locusts pose the greatest threat to agricultural crops. First and foremost, these pests destroy crops of wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn, and sorghum, damaging leaves and stems and effectively leaving the fields without a harvest.
After depleting the grain crops, the locusts move on to legumes, including peas, beans, soybeans, and alfalfa, which significantly increases the risks to the agricultural sector and the future harvest.
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This was reported by one of the local public groups.
As a reminder, special plant protection measures have been implemented in the Dnipropetrovsk and Kherson regions following the detection of locust outbreaks; however, there remains a risk of the pest spreading to the Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and Odesa regions.
The State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection announced the lifting of the special plant protection measures in the Zaporizhzhia region due to the absence of a threat of a mass locust infestation.
