Attachments
General Situation during January 2006
Forecast until mid-March 2006
The Desert Locust situation was calm during January. Small-scale breeding continued in Mauritania, Niger and Sudan but locust numbers remained low and only limited control operations were required in Mauritania. Although good rains fell at times in parts of the Sahara, low temperatures will delay locust maturation. Breeding is expected to continue along the Red Sea coast, primarily in Sudan and perhaps to a lesser extent in Eritrea and Yemen. Breeding should decline in Mauritania and Niger as vegetation dries out further. No significant developments are expected during the next six weeks.
Western Region. Small-scale breeding continued during January in western and central Mauritania where low numbers of late instar hoppers and adults were present. Ground control operations treated less than 100 ha. Only scattered adults were reported in northern Mauritania and similar populations are likely to be present in adjacent areas of Western Sahara where good rains fell at times during January. Limited breeding also occurred in Tamesna, Niger where low numbers of hoppers and adults were reported. A few adults may be present in parts of northern Mali. Small residual populations are likely to remain in these countries during the winter if ecological conditions remain favourable. No locusts were seen during surveys in southern and eastern Algeria.
Central Region. Small-scale breeding continued during January in the winter breeding areas along the Red Sea coast in Sudan where scattered hoppers and adults were present in the Tokar Delta. Isolated adults were seen in the interior of northeastern Sudan. Good rains fell along the Red Sea coast in southeastern Egypt but so far locusts have not been detected. Scattered locusts may be present and breeding on a small scale in a few places along the coast in Eritrea and Yemen where conditions remained favourable in January. Small-scale breeding is likely to continue in the winter breeding areas during February and, unless further rains fall, eventually come to an end by March. There were no other reports of locusts elsewhere in the region.
Eastern Region. Cool and mainly dry weather prevailed in the spring breeding areas in western Pakistan and southeastern Iran during January and no locusts were reported. Nevertheless, scattered adults are likely to be present in some areas and small-scale breeding should commence once temperatures increase.