In pictures | The rampage of locust swarms

Desert locusts coming in from Pakistan and Iran have gone on a rampage in India. Several states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are facing the brunt of the horde of plant-eating pests that have consumed plants and crop without stopping. Here is some of the destruction they have brought with them, in pictures.

Locusts typically travel in swarms which can number in the millions, and primarily target vegetation wherever they travel. PTI

These pests have been a source of pain for farmers and regular people across Africa, the Middle-East, and Asia due to their voracious appetite and nearly uncontrollable numbers. AFP

Desert locusts have two phases, the solitary phase and the social phase. Solitary locusts can become social in a matter of hours, but social locusts can take generations to become solitary. AFP

Desert locust plagues have been recorded for at least a century, and they find mentions in multiple religions books such as the Bible and the Quran. AFP

With the locust swarms now in India, the pests are indiscriminately destroying crops, plants and trees, all the while blanketing entire streets and localities with their sheer numbers. PTI

Locust control operations involve spraying of pesticides on the resting swarms during the night or early mornings and it usually takes four to five days to control a particular swarm. PTI