Over the past few months huge groups of locusts (蝗虫), one of which occupied an area more than three times the size of New York City, have eaten up crops across the Hom of Africa and the Middle East, leaving an estimated 20 million people at risk of famine (饥荒). The first generation's eggs are starting to hatch, and now even bigger swarms (虫群)are forming threatening countries from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Yemen, Iran, Pakistan and India, "representing a threat to food security and livelihoods," says the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Desert locusts' populations explode when weather conditions are right. That explosion can create huge swarms that can travel great distance-more than 90 miles in a day—in search of food Warm weather and unusually heavy rains in the Horn of Africa at the end of 2019 provided the moist (湿润的) soil necessary for hatching eggs From there, the insects spread rapidly, resulting in one of the worst outbreaks the region has seen in more than 70 years
A typical swarm numbering 4 billion to 8 billion locusts, can consume in one day the same amount of food as 35 million people. Some swarms have been so thick in parts of Kenya that they have prevented planes from taking off. Governments have used widespread aerial spraying of pesticides when available; in poorer regions, where aircraft are unavailable, soldiers battle the swarms with handheld spray pump.
The FAO has appealed for $138 million to support affected communities, If the locusts are not stopped before the next generation hatches, the impact could be terrible: the FAO guesses that an additional 25 million people across the region could lose their crops. Scientists in Kenya hope a new computer-assisted tracking program that combines satellite data with weather-mapping software will help predict the swarms 'next destination, buying-regional authorities enough time to prepare a response. Buy coronavirus- related travel restriction have delayed relief efforts as well as response mechanisms. The locusts have/no such travel limitations.
