Agricultural officials in Buenos Aires say that the ravenous pests were driven from the country’s wheat belt by wet and humid conditions during the 1980s.

The agriculture ministry’s Web site points out that locusts thrive in dry weather because of the lack of moisture in the soil.

Moisture breeds natural enemies for the locusts such as fungus, which the ministry says kills them.

More arid conditions over the past few years have allowed the crop-eating variety known as “cucura” to resurface in the country’s key agricultural areas.

Last month, the government rushed to help farmers inexperienced in locust control to fumigate their crops before the arrival of swarms that are expected to begin attacking their crops during December.

Photo: Argentina Secretariat of Tourism