Locust numbers in north-west Victoria reach a 15-year high, raising spring crop fears
Plague locust numbers in north-west Victoria are at their highest in 15 years, with farmers worried that recent egg laying could trigger damaging spring swarms.
Plague locust numbers in north-west Victoria have reached their highest level in 15 years, raising fears that recent egg laying could turn into major swarms in spring. ABC Rural reported that growers are watching not only the adult insects already present in the landscape but also the next generation that may emerge once warmer conditions arrive. For crop and pasture managers, that makes the issue more than a seasonal nuisance: it reopens the risk of fast-moving pest pressure across broad areas.
Victoria’s plague locust commissioner, Kyla Finlay, said the surge followed a season that was highly favorable for the insects because of rain and abundant green feed. Adult locusts are currently present in high numbers, with some localized swarms already visible. The insects, which are naturally found further north in Australia, have migrated into Victoria in recent months, and reports have come from around Mildura and south to Warracknabeal.
Cropping farmer Ron Hards from the Millewa said his concern is focused less on the adults he has already seen and more on the eggs laid to the north of his property, especially on hard red flats near the Murray River. He described the situation as a ticking time bomb, because once rain and warmth align there may be a window for widespread hatching. That is the point at which a localized infestation can become a direct threat to production planning and field protection costs.
The report notes that Victoria has not seen a major plague since 2010-11. Finlay said that earlier event also followed a couple of very good weather seasons, with migrations coming down from New South Wales as far as Melbourne. Locusts are especially dangerous because they multiply rapidly, travel long distances and damage pastures, crops, gardens and other vegetation once numbers build.
Finlay warned that in high numbers locusts can devastate a crop seemingly overnight, while nymphs can band together and march across the landscape. Hards said he has seen severe plagues before, when insects arrived in the millions and decimated crops. Farmers and officials are now waiting to see how rainfall and temperature shape the next stage, because those conditions will determine whether the current high counts remain manageable or develop into a much wider spring threat.