The Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) population has remained at a low to medium level over most of inland eastern Australia, with some higher densities detected in various parts of New South Wales and Queensland.
Surveys in December identified swarms in the Riverina of NSW, and Southwest and South Central Queensland. Localised bands were detected in the Far Southwest of NSW while occasional nymphs were observed or reported across several locations in NSW and Queensland where consistent low to medium numbers of adults were detected by surveys.
No surveys were conducted in either Victoria or South Australia, and no reports were received, but locust populations are expected to have remained at generally low levels in both States based on previous population sizes and December rainfall.
Read the latest locus update here.