Minister for Agriculture Ian McDonald said warmer weather was expected to trigger hatchings in Dubbo about the middle of September, followed by Peak Hill, Forbes and Molong later this month.

However, the Rural Lands Protection Board (RLPB) said any outbreak was expected to be minimal in Dubbo and “nothing” like the last major locust outbreak in 2004.

The latest forecast from the Australian Plague Locust Commission showed that hatchings could occur as early as next week near White Cliffs and Wilcannia.

“We know egg laying has been taking place in late autumn, and once the conditions warm up, this will trigger hatchings and locust movement,” primary

industries minister Ian McDonald said.

RLPB rangers expect the scale of locust hatchings during September to be minimal in Dubbo but have warned farmers to remain vigilant and report any hatchings.

“We are not expecting a huge amount and we haven’t had any reports of laying, but we do have some areas where the locusts are congregating in the Euchareena area,” RLPB pest animal ranger Lisa Thomas said.

Mrs Thomas said there had been some small-scale locust activity in the western areas of the board namely Trangie, Forbes, Condobolin and Bogan River.

The areas of Yeoval and Euchareena have had sporadic locusts outbreaks.

“We don’t want to be alarmists but we rely on reports from farmers,” Mrs Thomas said.

Detailed action locust plans are being developed by the Department of Primary Industries, the Australian Plague Locust Commission, the RLPB and the NSW Farmers’ Association.

The State’s last major locust outbreak occurred in 2004 when the voracious insects invaded and ravaged huge areas of agricultural land.

The government estimates that damage during the 2004 outbreak amounted to about $11 million Australian dollars.

Official figures also show that emergency control measures, such as spraying, saved $55m in crop losses.

belinda.galloway@ruralpress.com