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Moroccan Locust

Moroccan Locust Swarms Sweep Across Eastern Iran

A swarm of Moroccan locusts is wreaking havoc across eastern Iran's agricultural heartland, descending on farmland in large numbers and threatening the livelihoods of thousands of households. Footage from affected areas has shown the insects descending in dense clouds over fields and orchards. While medical officials assured the public that the insects pose no direct health risk, the infestation has raised alarm over food supplies in a country already strained by drought.

The Moroccan locust is capable of rapid reproduction, with females laying between two and four egg pods over their lifetime, each containing roughly 30 eggs. The species feeds primarily on grain crops, date palms, citrus, fruit trees, olives, and figs, and has been described as one of the most serious pests of cultivated plants. Beyond damaging food crops, the insects can strip large quantities of rangeland vegetation, raising the prospect of feed shortages for livestock.

Authorities have sprayed large areas with pesticides and urged farmers to hold off on harvesting in order to reduce the risk of chemical contamination. The sudden surge in locusts has been linked to shifting weather patterns and worsening drought, as Iran enters its sixth consecutive year of water shortages following years of poor water management. With dams built to boost agricultural output having contributed to rivers drying up, the infestation adds another heavy burden to a farming sector already under mounting strain.

(JPost/VFI News)

“they invaded all Egypt and settled down in every area of the country in great numbers. Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there ever be again.” — Exodus 10:14