Swarms of grasshoppers 'will soon blow over'

Don't panic, the infestation of grasshoppers in parts of the country will soon blow over. 

This was the advice from Gerhard Verdoorn, operations and stewardship manager at CropLife South Africa, after panic posts on social media where users from Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Randburg in Johannesburg and the Western Cape have been complaining about the glut of grasshoppers. Some went as far referencing the Bible’s Exodus 10:4, saying, “it’s giving Book of Exodus”. 

However, Verdoorn told Sowetan there is no need for alarm. “What we are seeing is a grasshopper infestation, not locusts. It’s a localised issue in Mpumalanga, mostly due to the high rainfall in recent weeks. When there is a lot of rain, insect populations naturally increase.” 

Verdoorn said the situation poses no agricultural threat. “It’s not the brown locusts and it’s nothing to worry about.” 

The Steve Tshwete municipality in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, one of the areas where the grasshopper infestation has been reported, confirmed to Sowetan it has received numerous complaints from residents in Aerorand, Rondebosch, Kanonkop and the Middelburg CBD about the grasshoppers.

The municipality's spokesperson Lerato Kgomo said: “We have received complaints from residents about locust infestation. On Sunday, the department of parks and recreation has been around these areas to spray insecticides so the locusts don't spread as much. But they are also observing throughout the day how far it is spreading.”

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