The yellow-winged locust, Gastrimargus musicus Fabr., in central Queensland

Abstract

Gastrimargus musicus Fabr. is an endemic locust species with a distribution practically throughout coastal and sub-coastal Australia, where the rainfall exceeds 20 inches annually. Swarming occurs in the northern half of the continent and migrations into coastal agricultural and dairying districts occurs periodically. Coastal infestations originate in localized outbreak areas in the sub-coastal districts. In central Queensland, the Clermont-Capella area was apparently the vital source of swarms which eventually caused widespread damage, particularly to pasturage, between 1939 and 1947 from Proserpine to Mt. Larcom. The ultimate aim of control practice would be the accurate mapping of outbreak areas both in central and in northern Queensland with the object of destroying incipient swarms before mass migrations commence.