Controlling locust swarms is no easy task. The larger the swarms, the more difficult the task becomes.
- At present, the primary method of controlling desert locust swarms and hopper bands is to use pesticides, which is applied in small concentrated doses by vehicle-mounted and aerial sprayers. (However, this led to environmental concerns).
- Natural predators such as wasps, birds and reptiles may prove effective at keeping small swarms at bay.
- Other strategies include catching them in nets, driving them away by burning tyres, collecting hoppers with catching machines, trapping them in duties, and other mechanical methods.
- One of the most effective ways to avoid the devastating effects of locust players is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Early warning and preventative control strategies are in place in some places. Locust monitoring stations collect data on weather, ecological conditions and locust numbers, making forecasts of the timing and location of breeding.
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