Mass windborne migrations extend the range of the migratory locust in East China

Migratory insect pests pose a substantial challenge to global food security. These issues are particularly acute when pest incursions occur considerably beyond the expected range, through natural migration or human-aided transport, as the lack of species-specific control strategies and a potential absence of species-specific natural enemies in the newly-invaded area, may lead to rapid establishment of a new pest.

One such threat is posed by the Oriental migratory locust (Locusta migratoria manilensis) in China, which historically has been restricted to eastern China from the Bohai Gulf southwards, but now threatens to expand its range into the agriculturally important region of northeast China.

We analysed data from a recent outbreak of migratory locusts in Heilongjiang (HLJ) province (extreme northeast China), >700 km north of its current known range, and identified the source region, timing of arrival and probable migratory routes of this incursion.

We further show that warming temperatures in this region will likely allow subsequent invasions to establish permanent populations in northeast China, and thus authorities in this important crop-producing region of East Asia should be vigilant to the threat posed by this species.