Wind willing, locusts can invade Karnataka after Maha

Team Udayavani, May 27, 2020, 1:51 PM IST

Bidar: Locust swarm attack is now expected in districts of Bidar and Kalaburagi in Karnataka as the pests have invaded Maharashtra’s Vidarbha district.

The locust invasion has been reported in three districts of Vidarbha — Amravati, Wardha and Nagpur and the pests have caused damage to patches of orange orchards and vegetable fields.

The locusts, a certain species of short-horned grasshoppers can travel great distances and consume most of the green vegetation. Their flight is dependent on the wind directions, so if the wind picks up a southward direction then there is a possibility of the locusts entering Karnataka’s Bidar district.

The only relief at the moment is that the wind is towards north. However officials of the Agriculture Department are constantly monitoring the situation.