Operational information on the phytosanitary status of agricultural crops in Ukraine as of July 31, 2025.

According to the order of the director of the Institute of Research and Development of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine on July 23-25, 2025, Fedorenko A.V. was sent on a business trip. (leading researcher of the Laboratory of Plant Forecasting and Quarantine) and Viktor Romanovych Shib (collector) for surveys of locust outbreaks in the South of Ukraine. On the lands of Kushugum Territorial Community, Zaporizhia District, Zaporizhia Oblast, on an area of ​​about 200 hectares, locusts were found in the number of 40.0 to 100.0 ex./m2 (larvae and adults), which were concentrated in the river beds along the Dnieper River, and in the areas that were once flooded by the Kakhovskaya HPP. Mass migration of flocks and swarms of the pest across the territory of the community, as well as in Komunarsky and Oleksandrivskyi districts of Zaporizhzhya was also noted.

The employees of the Institute of Research and Development of the National Academy of Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted population counts at the indicated locations (reedy massifs and fallows), and determined the species composition of the existing locusts. Identified adults and larvae, in the number of 7.0-10.0 specimens/m2 (taking into account preliminary insecticide treatments), belonged to the species locust Asian or migrant (Locusta migratoria L.).

Flocks migrate in the direction of the coast of the Konka River, where there are large masses of reeds. From the surrounding villages (Yurievka and Novoselivka (Zaporizka region)), located near the demarcation line with the Russian troops. complaints about the appearance of the pest are received, but in connection with hostilities, monitoring by specialists was not carried out there. For the most part, the locust continues to stick to reed massifs, and in some places it inhabits and damages rural areas. lands

Since the scientific staff of the Research Institute of the National Academy of Sciences has been systematically monitoring the main pests of rural areas for many years on a regular basis. crops in Ukraine, and in particular locust crops, it should be noted that a similar situation has already occurred. Thus, an outbreak of this phytophagous population was recorded on July 12, 2019 in the Stanichno-Luhansk district, Luhansk region. In the territories where swarms of the pest were noted, records were taken and the species was identified, as migratory or Asian locust (Locusta migratoria L.), for numbers that reached more than 50.0 specimens/m² (ESH for gregarious locusts varies between - 2.0-5.0 specimens/m²). Further observations showed that the flight of a flock of this locust took place from the territories outside the demarcation line with the LPR (from reservations for its reproduction on the abandoned lands of the fish farm in the territory of the Valuysk settlement council of the Stanichno-Luhansk district). These lands turned out to be a large-scale conglomeration of dried-up ponds, drained checks, and other reed-covered wastelands stretching along the Donets River. Since the breeding and distribution centers of locusts were located directly on the demarcation line with the LPR, it was impossible to carry out anti-locust measures using agricultural aviation in this zone.

Throughout human history, these insects have posed a serious threat to agricultural crops, because their populations are characterized by periodic outbreaks of numbers. There are 22 species of locusts living on the territory of Ukraine, which belong to the subfamilies Acridinae, Oedipodinae, Catantopinae, Acridiinae. It was found that the structure of the species composition in the group of locusts (the share of individual species in populations of locusts) is variable and depends on many factors, in particular, on the features of the biotope or hydrothermal conditions. Periodic mass population outbreaks, which are accompanied by significant losses in agriculture, are characteristic only of locust species, which are able to exist in two morpho-physiological forms - solitary and gregarious, and the transformation of the population from solitary to gregarious is usually caused by environmental factors. Thus, in these insects, at the same time, noticeable changes in morphology, physiology and ethology occur. A collection of individuals of the same species begins to behave as a single organism, which is characterized by extreme gluttony and migratory activity, they are able to form kuligs of larvae (temporary clusters) or flocks of imagos.

Ecbiological features of development in the zone of potential harm

The mass reproduction and spread of the Asian locust is most often associated with a combination of various factors. Yes, it is known that its development is directly dependent on the hydrothermal regime in residential areas. In general, the largest number of locusts in Ukraine is observed in regions where the sum of active temperatures (> 50°C) exceeds 3000°C (Kherson, Zaporizhzhya, Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea), as well as in regions where the temperature of the earth's surface in summer heats up to +28-33°C.

Therefore, an early and warm spring with low short-term floods, a hot summer and a long warm autumn are the main factors that can lead to outbreaks of mass breeding. Thus, in warm, dry years, when the average air temperature during the growing season is over 13.8 °С, and the amount of precipitation does not exceed 320 mm, the development of the locust accelerates and it has time to lay eggs before the cold weather. After 2 years (with such favorable conditions for the pest), in the 3rd year there is a high probability of population outbreak, especially in areas where there are stations necessary for the development of the phytophagous.

It is worth noting that the Asian locust is an insect that is characteristic of marsh meadows and thickets of reeds, and is common in the floodplains of the Danube, Dnieper, Dniester, and Prut rivers. That is why, the second decisive factor for the population outbreak is the presence of large reed massifs, which begin to dry out (with the appearance of areas with a liquefied vegetation cover, or at all open), and are ideally suitable for laying eggs.

Therefore, based on the above-mentioned facts, there is a high probability of an outbreak of swarming locusts in the next year.

The nature of the sharp increase in the number of locusts is always related to multifactorial factors. The main determining prerequisite for this is the presence of dry reed massifs in the region. Also, the occurrence of areas with a liquefied vegetation cover, or at all open, well-warmed areas, which are ideal for laying eggs and forming cups (cups). Thus, after the destruction of the Kakhovskaya HPP by the Rashi troops, large areas that were the bottom of the reservoir for a long time were freed from water. These moist and warm soils, with abundant reed vegetation, are simply an ideal reserve for the development of locusts. In addition, one should take into account the presence of a large number of other uncultivated areas and abandoned fields (due to the war).And all this is against the background of a hot summer, year after year, in connection with global warming.

So, although the connection between the mass reproduction of locusts and climate changes has been established for a long time, the lack of accurate long-term meteorological forecasts and the complete unpredictability of the anthropogenic factor (war), which suddenly and unexpectedly makes its corrections, make it impossible to use this knowledge practically (for prediction and prevention).

Recommendations for the elimination of locust nests

The main reason for the outbreak of this pest in 2025 is the impossibility of timely regular monitoring and treatment with insecticides of the main focus of the phytophagous, because it was located in the territories that are partially mined and hostilities are underway. It is also impossible to use agricultural aviation here.

Regarding protection recommendations, in this case:

1. carrying out regular phyto-sanitary monitoring and further insecticidal treatments (if necessary) with drugs specified in the "List of pesticides and agrochemicals permitted for use in Ukraine" in places of mass locust occurrence, on areas controlled by Ukraine;
2. solid processing should be carried out only in places with a high number of pests, first of all in agrocenoses, and in the territories adjacent to them;
3. when using insecticides against a moving sleigh, treat not only the area actually occupied by the pest, but also ahead of the movement route (at a distance of 200-300 m);
4. in the case of settlement of large areas, due to lack of time, or indicated for continuous treatment of drugs, band application of insecticides is used. At the same time, the width of the treated strips and the spaces between them should not exceed 40-50 m, and their ends are connected by a common treated strip, thus forming a closed network