from little things - locusts in nsw

FROM LITTLE THINGS BIG THINGS GROW

Did you know

from little things

big things grow

POP QUIZ

name the natural disaster

flood

drought

dust storm

locusts

from little locustshttp://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/locusts

big disasters grow

Did you know

Locusts change from individuals doing their own thing to ravenous armies working together.

What causes the change?

…. in other words

population

locust numbers

When population density is low, locusts behave as individuals, much like grasshoppers.

http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/locusts

When population density is high, individuals undergo changes, andthey form into gregariously behaving bands of nymphs or swarms of adults.

http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/locusts

Swarms may contain millions of locusts and cover an area of several square kilometres.

http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/locusts

Did you know

An Australian plague locust can eat up to half its body weight in plants each dayor about 0.2g.

http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant health/locusts/about/faqs

POP QUIZ

Name the biggest eater

A herd of wild elephants or a swarm of locusts?

A big enough swarm of locusts could eat more than a herd of wild elephants.

Watch amazing time-lapse footage of locusts moving across African deserts in the next slide.

Ravenous locust swarms can do severe damage to pasture, to cereal crops such as wheat and oats, and to summer forage crops such as sorghum and lucerne. In closely settled districts, vegetables and even orchard trees can be badly damaged.http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/pests-weeds/insects/general/locusts

Changes in body shape and colour, and in fertility, survival and migratory behaviour also occur. These changes are so dramatic in many species that the swarming and non-swarming forms were once considered to be different species.http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/locusts

View a simple experiment on how locusts perceive the signal to swarm in the next slide.

POP QUIZ

When locusts strike in Australia who’s affected?

farmers

consumers

exporters

… in other words

everyone

Did you know

this spring in a field near you

a locust plague is due

Locust eggs

POP QUIZ

What can bedone to save our food?

* keep an eye on the news

* check websites for sightings http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/pests-weeds/insects/general/locusts

* find out about control methods

know what to look for

Can you spot the locust eggs?

download a guide

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/pests-weeds/insects/general/locusts

http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/locusts/about/id-guide

Is this a locust?

http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/locusts/about/id-guide/description_of_adults/9._giant_or_hedge_grasshopper_valanga_irregularis

No way…I’m Australia’s biggest grasshopper. I have red spines with black tips on my legs. Plague locusts are much smaller.

If you see something,

say something.

And help .. .

and if you can’t beat ‘em … some people eat ‘em

Locusts are high in protein and eaten in several countries.

They are stir fried, roasted, grilled, boiled or dried and kept for later.

For a bit of extra crunch a how does a locust taco sound?

Take a look at this and other recipes from around the world on the United Nations locust web pages: http://www.fao.org/ag/locusts/en/info/info/faq/index.html

But before you take a bite remember…..

In Australia we spray to kill

locusts so we can’t eat them.

a presentation by:

http://www.landlearnnsw.org.au