Aussie locust plague is coming

Reuters

THEY'RE BACK: Dead locusts are caught in the grille of a vehicle on a highway between northwest during a plague of the insects in 2004.

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First it was the bushfires, then it was the floods - and as Victorians are still mopping up and rebuilding, here come the locusts.

Authorities warn a forecast locust plague could be the biggest in 75 years and may even threaten the Melbourne Cup as the first hatchings are spotted on two regional farms.

Landowners are bracing for a spring season that could see billions of the ravenous insects hatch and form gigantic swarms across Victoria, NSW and South Australia.

The Victorian government has invested $A43 million in fighting the plague, which threatens $A2 billion worth of crops.

"This is a war on locusts, I want to be absolutely clear about this," Premier John Brumby told reporters on Thursday.

"We're doing everything we can to get on top of this."

Landowners are being reimbursed for the full cost of locust spraying, and two incident control centres will be opened next week.

More than 6000 people have attended meetings authorities have held around the state about the coming hatchings.

Summer rainfall in Queensland and NSW allowed native grasses to flourish, which provided perfect breeding conditions for locusts.

Swarms then moved south, laying eggs over an area of Australia about the size of Spain.

Some locust egg beds are estimated to stretch over 20km and contain billions of eggs.

Entomologist Gordon Berg from Victoria's department of primary industries says the forecast swarms could reach Melbourne and shut down major events.

He says locusts can travel up to 30km a day, but in rare circumstances could fly at night for several hundred kilometres.

"That's why there's always a risk of them moving from the north of Victoria ... as far south as Melbourne almost in one or two days," he said.

Large locust swarms haven't reached Melbourne since the early 1970s but, the premier said, he's worried this year's swarm could threaten the spring racing carnival.

"It's got the potential to close events like Melbourne Cup Day and country race carnivals," Mr Brumby said.

Locusts can spook horses and become a safety concern.

All efforts are focused on early prevention to minimise the likelihood of swarms reaching Melbourne.

The first locust hatchings in Victoria were spotted earlier this week on two farms near Werrimull, 70km west from Mildura.

The Australian Plague Locust Commission says the forecast hatch dates are dependent on weather conditions and with lower temperatures, peak hatching times have been delayed.

The Mildura-Ouyen region's hatching date is September 25, while southern areas are expecting October swarms.

NSW has already seen its first hatchings, triggered by higher temperatures warming the soil.

Locust-spraying is most effective about two weeks after the insects hatch and are still in dense "bands" on the ground.

About 400 government staff have been assigned to monitor the threat and co-ordinate spraying efforts.

- AAP