Massive swarms of locusts are invading Saudi Arabia

If you are easily creeped out by insects, then you’re going to want to look away now. Although living in the Middle East acclimatises us to all sorts of bizarre weather, bug showers is probably a little too extreme for us. However, Saudi Arabia has been experiencing massive swarms of locusts throughout the kingdom.

And they are pretty wild to look at

#عاجل
شاهد بالفيديو .. أسراب الجراد تجتاح مدينة #بريده الان

دائماً معكم في رصد الحدث، ونقل الحالة الجوية أولاً بأول ? @ArabiaWeatherSA pic.twitter.com/SY13DrXtAB

— طقس العرب – السعودية (@ArabiaWeatherSA) May 5, 2019

But, despite the rumours, there’s not really anything major to worry about as locusts are pretty harmless to most of us. The only real threat that locusts pose is that they have big appetites, which puts crops at risk of being eaten.

Saudi’s Director General of the Locust and Migratory Pest Control Centre advised people to not try and catch or consume the locusts due to risk of poisoning from pesticides used to try and control the outbreak.

These types of swarms occur as a result of overcrowding and the locusts begin to migrate. When desert locusts come into contact with one another, their nervous systems release serotonin, a chemical that causes feelings of happiness, which then causes the locusts to become attracted to one-another. And another, and another!