Hatchings now increasing exponentially

Situation report from NSW Locust control

The number of hatching reports has doubled over the past week, taking total confirmed hatchings to 253. Significant locust activity continues in the Central West and Darling areas, particularly around current hot spots of Bourke, Brewarrina, Carinda and Nyngan.

Hatchings have begun in Hume and Mid-Coast LHPAs. The Lachlan area has also reported further locust hatchings, including in and around Grenfell and Eugowra.

Extensive air surveillance operations began last week and is continuing this week. Targeting areas in and around Walgett, Bourke, and Brewarrina and further south to Carinda and Nyngan, the surveillance identified around 1,000 locust bands. This included major bands stretching up to three kilometres found near Carinda.

Given the scale and size of these bands – and given it is beyond farmers’ ground control capacity – aerial spraying operations are being deployed this week. The spraying will commence out of Bourke and Carinda and will target the major bands which were identified through the earlier surveillance exercise. In total, approximately 700 square kilometres of locust bands will be sprayed