Dynamic Simulation Model of Central American LocustSchistocerca piceifrons(Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Locusts, large gregarious and migratory grasshoppers, are pests of economic importance in several regions of the world because of the severe damage they can cause to crops. The Central American locust, Schistocerca piceifrons is the most important locust species in the Americas, and it is distributed in zones of Mexico, Central and South America. In Mexico, despite the efforts to survey and monitor S. piceifrons (Walker) populations, outbreaks are still difficult to predict and prevent, and high economic and ecological costs are incurred in controlling them. The purpose of this study was to build a dynamic model of locust growth and development as a function of environmental conditions in order to identify suitable conditions for the high reproduction rates of this insect. This information can be used to assist in locust management. A modular approach and numerical integration techniques were applied in model building. The main inputs of the model were daily rainfall and temperature data, and phy...