'File 38/2 Miscellaneous Assistance to Sheikh of Kuwait' [‎8r] (15/1258)

If there are water mills actually at work on the stream there is no need
to post men with baskets, except on sanitary grounds, for the locusts are killed
when they go down the mill stream. In this case it must be remembered that
the mill buildings and trees on the mill stream form convenient bridges which
should be guarded.
One day I noticed numbers of locusts jumping into a rather swift stream
which ran over a rough stony bottom ; the pace of the stream, the ripples caused
bv the rough bottom, and a wind that was blowing against the stream caused
the surface of the water to be slightly ruffled. No locusts crossed the stream
though it was little more than afoot wide, and they appeared very soon to be
rendered absolutely helpless It has since occurred to me that a number of
artificial falls made on a stream might be very useful. A fall of an inch or so
could easily be arranged by placing boards across the stream, at each fall the
locusts would be driven under water; there would be a tendency for the locusts to
collect immediately below the fall and they are great adepts at drowning
each other.
If running water is being used a few men should be constantly employed
to patrol the bank and see that there are no weak places in the line of defence
at which the locusts can cross.
Flying locusts (old).
11. A few remarks on locusts in their various stages of growth may
perhaps be useful. Locusts first appeared in large flights of full grown insects.
They stayed for some time and appeared to be doing no harm, so no efforts
were made to destroy them or to drive them off. This was a great mistake,
for the flying locusts remained long enough to deposit their eggs and then flew
away. The Civil Surgeon took great interest in the preparation of the South
African locust fungus, and a Hospital Assistant was put on special duty for this
work, but as far as I could ascertain the fungus though freely used on locusts
at all stages of their growth was a complete failure. 1 know of no effective
remedy against the flying locust. In this climate large numbers can be killed
in the early mornings when they are stiff on account of the cold, and in any
climate the locusts must be quite helpless when they are laying their eggs,
at this time the males and females are firmly coupled together. The best thing
to do is to kill as many as possible and to drive off the rest. In the Hying
stage they are easily driven on. The advantages of driving off flying locusts are
(1) that they are got out of the crops (2) that if thoroughly harassed they
may by a fortunate chance be disturbed just at the time that they want
to lay their eggs, and these are said not to be fertile unless they are laid in
suitable ground, and unless the female locust is able to bury them about an
inch, and a half deep in the soil, (3) that if eggs are to be laid it is better to
have them laid at distance from cultivation. In a sparsely cultivated country
like this the young locusts may grow big enough to fly before they reach
any crops.
Destruction of Eggs.
12. If eggs have been laid they should be dug up. This remedy was
adopted in Peshin with great success. Mahomed Rafiq Khan who was in charge
of the operations in a portion of Peshin, tells me that the people soon get very
expert at this work, and that in some villages where enormous quantities of eggs
were dug up scarcely any young locusts appeared. At one place the land was
ploughed up soon after the eggs had been laid. Unfortunately no accurate record
was kept of the area ploughed and the exact spots in which the young locusts
were hatched so it is impossible to express a decided opinion^ on the value of
ploughing. I have consulted a number of people whose opinion should carry
weight, and they mostly think that the ploughing did have an appreciable effect.
The eggs hatch about three weeks after they are laid, and the young locusts fiist
appear as tiny white insects unable to move. At this stage they aie veiy diffi
cult to see and no attempts were made to kill them. It is just possible that a
harrow run over the ground would effectually bury them.