New Swarm of Locusts Threatens Israel’s South
Swarms of locusts have continued to cross into Israel from Egypt and the Agriculture Ministry is preparing to carry out additional spraying of the insects, which pose a threat to agriculture. Sunday afternoon the ministry reported another large swarm moving toward Ashalim in the northwestern Negev.
The ministry staff plans to monitor their movements and undertake spraying as necessary. Since last week, the ministry has carried out spraying operations centered around the Nahal Lavan region of the northwestern Negev, near a collection of communities that farm large areas of cropland. Yesterday the Ramat Negev regional council contacted the Egyptian government suggesting that the two sides cooperate in addressing the locust swarms.
Although the spraying has been fairly effective at this point, there is concern that the insecticide will adversely affect wildlife in the region. The area is highly important from an ecological standpoint. It is home to a large number of rare species, particularly of birds.
For more, go to Haaretz.com
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO