The island nation of Madagascar off the coast of Africa, is currently knee deep in an almost biblical plague of locusts. In fact the entire country has had a severe locust problem for the last three years. They’ve wiped out crops, and are threatening the livelihoods of millions of people.
Just check out these photos from the capital city of Antananarivo.
The sky is black with locusts.
Madagascar is located along the locusts’ migration route, which helps explain the issue.
Because of hotter, more consistent heat waves, the locusts have a tendency to stick around.
In 2012 the government authorized an aggressive pesticide campaign to try to control the locust population.
Sadly the pesticides have failed to stop the insects from breeding.
For some people the locusts are a main source of food.
The result of the aggressive pesticide campaign is that those who eat the dead locusts can become sick from the chemicals.
In the meantime the bugs are continuing to swarm and devastate farmland.
Seriously one of the scariest things I’ve ever seen.
(H/T: Piximus)
That is insanely scary. Hopefully with the seasons changing, the bugs will start to move on. Sadly ecological problems like this will only become worse as the climate continues to change.
