Yellow-winged locust

• Insect with bright yellow wings, 35–50mm long when mature.
• Makes distinctive clicking noise when flying.
• Hind wings are bright yellow with black band along edge.
• Body colour varies from green to brown in normal conditions to straw-coloured when swarming.

• Found in pasture and cropping areas.

• See locusts fact sheet (PDF, 5MB) for distribution maps.

• Dense egg beds are laid in bare, compact soil.
• Eggs hatch after 17 days, producing nymphs.
• Nymphs take 40–50 days to become immature adults
• Immature adults take further 12–14 days to mature and lay eggs.
• Populations are highest spring-autumn.
• At high population densities, nymph bands and adult swarms can form.
• Adult swarms are infrequent, localised and spread slowly.

• Pastures, forage crops.

Economic

• Damages crops from areas in Cape York to Lockyer Valley in Queensland.

• Insectivorous birds and mammals, predator insects, parasites and diseases.

• Readily controlled with insecticides if treated at right time.
• Different insecticides can be used to control each locust species.
• Residues of some insecticides have negative effects on trade in agricultural products.
• Only insecticides registered or approved for use to control the yellow-winged locust by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority can be used in Queensland's cropping or livestock producing areas.
• Control of yellow-winged locust is landholder's responsibility.
• Biosecurity Queensland is responsible for recommending and coordinating control strategies in Queensland. The Australian Plague Locust Commission implements control measures when locusts reach sufficient numbers to present a threat to 2 or more states.
• Appropriate application methods for the insecticides used to control yellow-winged locust vary with the locusts' life stage and behaviour.

Insecticide control

Nymphs – ground spraying

• Nymph bands can be sprayed with boom sprays. Isolated and small areas can be sprayed using misting machines or knapsack sprayers.
• No licence is required to control locusts on your own property using insecticides from ground-spraying equipment.
• When using agricultural insecticides, you must read and follow all product label instructions.
• Factors influencing movement of nymph bands and effectiveness of control include nymph density, weather and cover.
• Nymphs at densities below 30 insects per m² move very little and don't form bands.
• Spraying in late afternoon is most effective, as nymphs tend to spread out during day. Strong winds may cause nymphs to shelter in cracks in ground or behind windbreaks.
• Dense, high pasture or crops should not be sprayed in still conditions, as wind turbulence is needed for spray to penetrate foliage.
• Nymphs die after contact with, or ingestion of, treated vegetation within 2–48 hours after spraying. Follow-up treatments may be necessary for up to 2 weeks after spraying, as several waves of bands will hatch from 1 egg bed.

Fledged and flying locusts – aerial spraying

• Once locusts have fledged or are flying, aerial spraying of agricultural insecticides is only efficient control method.
• The aerial application of agricultural insecticides is a regulated activity under the Agricultural Chemical Distribution Control Act 1966.
• Aerial spraying should be undertaken by a licensed aerial distribution contractor. Pilots in command of aircraft must hold a current pilot chemical rating licence.

• The yellow-winged locust is not a prohibited or restricted invasive animal under the Biosecurity Act 2014. However, by law, everyone has a general biosecurity obligation (GBO) to take reasonable and practical steps to minimise the risks associated with invasive animals under their control.
• Local governments must have a biosecurity plan that covers invasive animals in their area. This plan may include actions to be taken for yellow-winged locust. Some of these actions may be required under local laws. Contact your local government for more information.