Moroccan locust - voracious "execution of Egypt"

Despite the modest size of the locust, gathering in huge flocks, it turns into a real disaster for agricultural crops. Her invasion was considered one of the ten executions of the Egyptian. Gluttonous insects eat any vegetation encountered on the way. A flock totals several billion individuals. Moroccan locusts in the herd phase in a few minutes turns a green field into a desert.

View description

Moroccan locust (Dociostaurus maroccanus) - Orthoptera from the family of true locusts. The body is elongated, cylindrical. The main color is yellowish-gray with dark spots. Unlike grasshoppers, the locust tendrils are short, no more than half the body in length. Rigid elytra well developed, extending in length beyond the apex of the hind femur. They are almost transparent, sometimes covered with a brown pattern. The wings are colorless. The head is large, the eyes are large. Insects have strong jaws with which they cut and crush hard stems and leaves.

Information. Synonyms for the name of the species are Moroccan, Moroccan locust, Moroccan filly.

Individuals of a single phase are smaller than insects of the herd phase. For comparison:

• The male of the single phase is 16-28 mm, the herd - 20-28 mm.
• The female of a single phase is 20-38 mm, the herd is 28-38 mm.

The front femurs of males are thickened, the rear ones are slender, their length is 4 times greater than the width. On the back hips of migratory individuals black bandages. Hind tibia usually red, but yellow and pink. On the pronotum, a cruciform pattern is yellow or white.

Behavior features

Usually the insect leads a solitary life, but in the biology of the locust two phases are inherent - single and herd. During these periods, insects differ in appearance, physiology and behavior. During the single phase, the locust has a camouflage color, pronounced sexual dimorphism, leads a measured and calm life. The impetus for the phase change is the long (at least two years) period of drought, when the volume of spring rainfall is only 100 ml. The amount of fodder plants and water is reduced. Females lay eggs from which altered offspring emerge.

Interesting fact. During the herd phase, cannibalism is characteristic. Stronger individuals eat the weak, replenishing the energy costs of the flight.

External metamorphoses are manifested in an increase in the size of the wings, a change in body color, and gender differences are smoothed out. Larvae and adults behave more actively, gather in swifts and flocks. Groups behave harmoniously as a whole. Swarms of larvae creep together in fertile areas. Synchronization of behavior covers all stages of the life cycle. Imagoes at the same time mate, lay eggs, larvae hatch and wing at the same time.

Moroccan locust has no taste preferences, it damages any plants, even bites the bark of trees and needles. The pest's diet includes cereals, legumes, melons and vegetables. During the period of mass breeding, the larvae at the root eat vegetation on which they spawn.Then they are sent to fields and meadows. Locusts are active in the daytime, with the onset of the evening, it loses mobility and sleeps at rest. At this time, you can destroy pests mechanically.

The flight speed of the Moroccan locust is 15-20 km / h. Depending on the number of individuals gathered, the length of the flock is from 10 to 200 km. From afar, it seems like a black cloud overshadowing the sun. When the wings rub against each other, a noise arises, amplified by a million repetitions, it resembles thunder. The flight height of insects is 20-100 m. They are very hardy, can fly all day. The maximum range of one movement reaches 250 km, but usually does not exceed 50-70 km. During migration, the population increases, it can reach 300 individuals per 1 square. meter. In June, when the amount of vegetation is significantly reduced, the death of adults begins.
An outbreak of a massive cluster of Moroccan locusts can last for several years. The frequency of disasters is 10-12 years. Sometimes local outbreaks occur due to changes in weather conditions.

Information. One Moroccan locust eats 300-350 g of vegetation in its life. Her appetite is associated with satisfying hunger and maintaining water balance.

Habitat

This locust species was first recorded in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. It turned out that this is the westernmost continental point of the distribution range of insects. They are found throughout the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and Western Asia. In northern Africa, they live in Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia. The northern border of the range passes through the Caucasus. Insects prefer to settle in foothill landscapes with sparse vegetation, in the open, pastures. In such areas, wormwood, bulbous bluegrass, and various types of cereals dominate.

In Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia, insects live in arid areas at an altitude of 500-100 m above sea level. One of the ecology of Moroccan locusts is the use of virgin, uncultivated land for masonry.

Life cycle and reproduction

Reproduction begins in the second half of summer and ends in autumn. The male through the release of the hormone attracts females. In the mating process, which lasts 2-10 hours, he places a spermatophore at the base of the female’s ovipositor. Plots of virgin land serve as a place for breeding. Using the ovipositor, the female makes a hole in the soil, releasing eggs and a special foamy secret. The substance is mixed with the earth and a small egg is formed. Each contains 30-35 eggs. One locust leaves 2-3 masonry. But with a large accumulation of insects, the number of egg capsules per 1 square. square meter can be 6-8 thousand pieces.

Embryonic development begins immediately after masonry, but in the winter it stops. A hardened larva of white color with a soft body, after 2 hours it darkens and hardens. After birth, she will need to go through 5 ages until she turns into an adult winged individual. Development is proceeding rapidly. The time of each age is 5-7 days. The larva passes to a new stage after molting - shedding of old tight skin.

From the second age, young growth is ready for travel. In the early days, the offspring creeps no more than 150 m. But in 3 weeks the distance is 18-20 km. In the swarms, the density of larvae of early ages is several thousand individuals. More adult offspring are represented by hundreds of individuals. Mass inspiration of larvae occurs in May.

Attention. Larvae are extremely voracious for rapid growth; they need 10 times more food than their own weight.

Pest Control Methods

In European countries, outbreaks of breeding of Moroccan locusts have not been observed for a long time, and in Africa and Asia this species is still a serious threat. The polyphage damages any crops, eats leaves, gnaws ears, eats grains.Larvae and adults harm cereals and vegetables, forage grasses, vineyards, orchards, and ornamental shrubs. Pest control is conducted in several directions.

Agrotechnical measures

One option for locust reduction is the cultivation of virgin lands. Females do masonry only in unplowed soil. Deep plowing and harrowing is recommended.

Insecticides

The chemical method of controlling the use of insecticides is the most effective. One of the modern methods of ultra-low-volume spraying gives excellent results. New technology increases the productivity and cost-effectiveness of chemical processing. As a result, up to 98% of larvae of 2-4 age die. Pest control is carried out by all available methods: spraying drugs with aircraft, ground equipment, hand sprayers. Pyrethroids are used for processing. It is recommended to combine them with organophosphorus compounds. So that insects do not become addictive, it is necessary to apply the prescribed dosage.

Moroccan locusts are becoming a real disaster for the regions where an insatiable flock falls. Headcount monitoring and preventive measures help keep things under control.