‘File 16/37A-I Anti-Locust Measures’ [‎385v] (770/900)

bands and cat more.
In the ease of a small band of young hoppers, the bait may
be laid 5 or 6 metres in front of the. band in a belt 3 metres
wide. If the hoppers are big, the bait should be laid about
50 metres in front of them, and a wider belt will be
necessary. If the hoppers have formed a very big band it rmy
be necessary to spread several belts in front of them as they
advance, or even to walk across them laying a number of belts
among the hoppers. But however much bait it is necessary to
use it must never be spread thickly.
As soon as the bait has been laid, the operator should
immediately retire to a distance of 15-50 metres,(according
to the age of the hoppers), in order to watch. If the hqppers
stop and cluster on the poison, it means they are-eating - it
and the operator may then depart to deal with the next band.
Young hoppers should die in about 24 hours, while older
hoppers may take as long as 3 days dying though they will
show signs of weakness within 24 hours. Any hopper that has
eaten the bait will die without feeding again. T he use of
str nRly To-is r ned bait should be discoura ged as it is waste fu l
and danger^us to l ivestock• ^
Organ i s i ng O mua i gns .
The first essential is early, speedy and complete reports.
Therefore an information network covering the whole area
liable to infestation is necessary. In areas with closely
settled population no special scouts should be necessary,
provided that villagers can be persuaded to report the
presence of locusts immediately. In nomad areas however
special scouts will probably be, needed.
The first appearance of I'-cuStswill probably be in the
form of flying swarms, which are sc conspicuous that one man
can: scout over a fairly large area. In closely settled
areas the detection of eggs or hoppers, the presence which
must be expected where sexually mature swarms have been seen,
can be left to the cultivators so long as they can be relied u:
upon to report immediately. In thinly populated areas extra
scouts should be sent out to enquire about eggs or hoppers
and as these are less conspicuous than fliers a large number
of scouts will be necessary.
If the place is very distant, it is advisable to send out
poisoning parties straight away, but if it is near at hand,
these parties need not go out until the presence of eggs or
hoppers has been definitely reported.
As scon as the hoppers appear, work should be immedia^iy
started over the whole affected area because young hoppers are
much easier to kill than old ones. For example, if 5 men
Can kill a given number of hoppers one week old, it will
take about 30 men to kill the same number when a month old.
Moreover any days saved at the beginning of a campaign may be
found invaluable . later on should some swarms be found to have
hatched elsewhere undetected and to have reached a late stage
of development. The hopper life lasts about 45 days after
which period they acquire wings and theh they may be regarded
as no longer susceptible to baiting.
In countries which have a proper locust organisation
with sufficient trained personnel, it is possible to carry out
a locust campaign ^ver vast areas with the use of very little
motor transport.
Before the locust season starts the prepared bait and
other necessary materials can be sent out for storage at
convenient centres. At the beginning of the locust season
the area c.pov. supervisor, who must have motor transport at
his disposal, should proceed to this centre to organise the
work. The area shoul be divided into sub-areas which are
small enough to be worked by poisoning gangs using animal
transport.
A gang should consist of gang supervisor, and from 6 t 1
10 labourers with about the same number of camels. The area
supervisors must arrange for regular supplies of bait to^be
delivered to the gang from his centre. The gang supervisor
mustallot some of'his men to the task of maintaining water
supplies.