Harvesting Locusts

[PatrickHenry]

I posted this in the Middle East forum but got no responses. Could someone at least respond over here? Is this such a dumb idea that it isn't worthy of comment? Appropriate technology would likely be a truck mounted or trailer mounted vacuum, with chopper blades to process the insects into a meal, then a dryer to preserve the product. Or possibly an electrocution net.


On another forum I frequent, I have been having a discussion of the locust plagues that periodically devastate farms in the Mid East and Africa. My brainstorm was to construct a harvester that could process the swarms into a protein rich feed source for aquaculture or poultry use. Has anyone you know examined this idea? If you are aware of studies, proposals or prototypes could you direct me?

I see this as a possible "greater effect for less effort". Instead of just destroying the swarm with burning or insecticide, why not use it as a resource? Mollison said we should use what we have, yes?

Here's the discussion at volconvo: http://www.volconvo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3012

PH

[Chook Nut]

Hi Patrick,

I did hear about that locust plague and that the African countries asked for $30 million in aid to stop it but the EU did nothing to help. The swarms got soo devasting that it was going to effect supplies to Europe that they finally gave them help. Problem was it now cost them $120 million b/c of the long delay in action.

I know this isn't much help.... but maybe you can talk to institutions like Universities that do that type of research.... not sure laypeople like myself will give you the pearls of wisdom you....

But then again.... maybe try using a heard of a million chooks onto em and see what happens!!... it's quite entertaining watching a couple of mine chase them around.... could only imagine what that would look like such a huge scale :lol:

Dave

HI Patrick
I suppose you would have to look at the density of the swarms. Even though they look impresive from a distance you would need to find out how many locusts to the cubic meter and the devise away to economically harvest at those densities. You could vacuum them or perhaps freeze them with a blast of cold CO2 gas. That would knock them down and shouldnt be to environmentally destructive.

[PatrickHenry]

Thanks for responding, Bill Blakers and Chook Nut. I am looking for a person with agricultural engineering experience who would like a discussion on the feasibility. and what the machine might consist of. Maybe a professor at an agricultural college in a region affected by locust swarms. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3583337.stm

All over eastern Australia farmers are struggling to cope with great swarms of locusts. But where do these plagues come from?That was in March, 2004. Has the plague subsided there now? Anyone know of a link to the Aussie agriculture ministry dealing with locusts? Maybe someone who would be willing to talk about an innovation?
A swarm: http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39895000/jpg/_39895378_locusts203ap.jpg