Officials from the Department of Agriculture visited Kegalle yesterday (04) to investigate reports of crop-destroying insects in the area.
The Department of Agriculture said the insect is a type of grasshopper known as Aularches miliaris, belonging to the family Pyrgomorphidae, and is a type of locust.
This particular type of yellow-spotted grasshopper that destroys crops was first reported in the Mawathagama area in Kurunegala and has now been spotted in Kegalle, Gampaha, and Matara.
Director-General of the Department of Agriculture M.W. Weerakoon said measures were taken to destroy the insects and the situation has now been contained in Kurunegala.
The insects are reported to have been spotted in Matara and Kegalle now, which could result in an increase in its population due to the existing warm weather in the areas and lead to large scale devastation of crops, he said.
Farmers have been requested to contact the Department of Agriculture on the spread of the grasshopper population via the official hotline 1920.
Director-General of the Department of Agriculture M.W. Weerakoon explained that the grasshoppers have not reached adulthood yet, and are in their nymph stage without wings.
He said the Department of Agriculture would now focus on destroying the insects at this stage preventing their migration. (Newswire)
