# Locust Hub ## URL ## Description A public portal managed by the [Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations](https://www.fao.org/home/en). The portal offers a geographic and time sensitive visualization of both desert locust hopper groups and swarms. It provides a [weekly tracker](https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/d8df827fc77340b29740e7b151de1674) on the number of swarms, hoppers, locust control operations; data on the current and previous months as well as collated information on the last three months. The site states that "[The data is updated frequently with the latest observations from the field](https://locust-hub-hqfao.hub.arcgis.com/)" by assigned locust teams supplemented by additional field staff. Data is [validated by the country’s national locust centre](https://www.fao.org/locusts/faqs/en/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) and then sent to the Desert Locust Information Service at FAO Headquarters before being made public.

The desert locust data explorer on Locust Hub displaying all reports of desert locusts in the last 3 months, screenshot taken on 20 October 2025.

Green dots represent the presence of groups of hoppers or young locusts that cannot fly but are a threat to ground-level crops, while yellow dots represent groups of adult, winged locusts. Blue dots represent bands or larger groups of hoppers, while red dots represent adult swarms, which are the most damaging group as they can fly long distances and wipe out entire fields within hours. Light blue dots represent where control operations are being carried out. The [locust data explorer](https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/d8df827fc77340b29740e7b151de1674/) interface is updated every four hours and provides additional information on the location, maturity, behavior and breeding status by clicking on a particular location where locusts have been identified.

Location-specific data on maturity, behaviour and breeding status. Screenshot taken on 20 October 2025.

The data can also be used to predict movement of swarms, when used in conjunction with tools such as [windfinder.com](https://www.windfinder.com/) which offers a map of wind speeds in the region, or [soil moisture viewer](https://locust-hub-hqfao.hub.arcgis.com/pages/lobelia-viewer), as locusts thrive after heavy periods of rainfall. ## Cost * [x] Free * [ ] Partially Free * [ ] Paid ## Level of difficulty
2
## Requirements Users will need to submit this [online form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeagLDm9KkPYVe2fiJ7mmU0Zs6f98lIBAXRGqgrjMEPhOPxAg/viewform) and create a [FAO Data in Emergency Community ](https://hqfao.maps.arcgis.com/sharing/oauth2/signup?oauth_state=ag8BfOHP4NbKhIToav6RUSQ..q9CeqT6GCT0imEsisBKnMyLVmTGYfuLyuYZmbENjAHBMLovUvi2_OWGPRABHAYoX2S5z30r508VMWI0l24Y40WCx45QNS99pqbIHLbD09XVEIKrngTOZFuMK-Dv1SbYzkGQwWf3TNB-yIIPrXPkBzVC1fPfTjtrGJJyIjHLjfbFxd3vpF6MAoBhNVFeLKr_0WGzcWEcjRSX1rYJlit19McM79mmF5RWYeOayhW-hbCeGacufop8fICiadjCiQU13bbWNLLMSgG-EQ89Fbk6LkPJem4du0Irk9jSYdcDPZDSTaFOjcaRB0fmFXGl_Rgrytnv70ZnJOOZPKfoxXHoHX3Au3mMxBZtLCpaYzjKgKFfBn29RFZRDMq89R5YW2IVpDa1nUvCAF9wKbv-cBpqkfm9i0fUFXYAqQZ0.)account to have access to the full historical archives dataset. The data provided are "archival" data, from 1965 to last year. The website states that "real-time data are not available but can be seen through the [Locust-Hub data explorer.](https://locust-hub-hqfao.hub.arcgis.com/)" Users can also use an ArcGIS login if this is already provided by their institution. ## Limitations The hub is mostly descriptive (i.e., past and current sightings). The data quality will vary per country as it depends on inputs by local teams. Some familiarity with GIS tools will be required for non-specialists. Although the data is regularly updated, it may not always be updated in time for research on the real-time status or for making predictions. ## Ethical Considerations If using Locust Hub data with personally identifiable or politically sensitive datasets, it is advisable to avoid unintentionally exposing individuals or communities to risk. Data should be contextualized, anonymized where necessary, and presented with transparency about its limitations and sources. ## Guides and articles Edward Tian: [How To Track Desert Locus Swarms](mailto:undefined), Bellingcat. ## Tool provider Managed by the [Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations](https://www.fao.org/home/en) headquartered in Rome, Italy. ## Similar tools Tools similar to Locust Hub: [eLocust3m](https://apps.apple.com/th/app/fao-elocust3m/id1673483386): This is a smartphone app developed by FAO in collaboration with PlantVillage / Penn State, designed for field teams to [report locusts.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJvnOLXFdow) It also has a function that allows app users to report sightings. [eLocust3](https://www.fao.org/locust-watch/activities/dlis-home): This includes a field survey device with tablet and satellite antenna used by national survey/control teams, especially in remote areas where connectivity is poor. It includes features like mapping, navigation, recording of infestation polygons (via GPS) and data transmission via satellite so that even remote survey teams can send data. [EarthRanger](https://www.earthranger.com/success-stories/fao): Developed for wildlife management, EarthRanger has been enhanced to ensure ingestion of eLocust3m and eLocust3g data as well as exporting manually entered data in a compatible format for inclusion in the [RAMSES GIS](https://www.fao.org/locust-watch/activities/innovation/gis/en) used by national locust authorities. It is used to manage survey and control aircraft / assets, track spray operations, visualize maps of where swarms and control interventions are happening. For predictive modelling, Locust Hub is best used in conjunction with other tools such as: Windspeed: Weather and Rainfall data offered by [Nasa Worldview](https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/nasa-worldview). Agricultural Impact: ## Advertising Trackers * [x] This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet. * [ ] This tool uses tracking cookies. Use with caution. * [ ] This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies. | Page maintainer | | ------------------------------------------------- | | Bellingcat volunteer team Reviewed Sophie Tedling | | | --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/locust-hub.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.