BAKU, July 17 — A recent uptick in locust sightings across Baku and surrounding areas has raised public concern, but experts say the phenomenon poses no threat to human health and is part of a recurring natural cycle.
Barat Akhmedov, Director of the Applied Zoology Center at the Institute of Zoology, told Report that the species currently seen in the Absheron region is primarily the Egyptian locust (Anacridium aegyptium), which has long been part of the local ecosystem.
“This is not the first time we’ve seen a rise in their numbers,” Akhmedov said. “They tend to breed in sandy coastal zones, near springs and wetlands. Due to construction and agricultural activity in those areas, their natural food sources have diminished. As a result, they’re now dispersing in search of vegetation.”
The sudden increase is largely due to recent weather patterns, particularly abrupt warming, which caused early hatching. While the insects may appear in urban spaces, they feed almost exclusively on plants and do not pose a danger to humans, he emphasized.
“Locusts are native to our region. When humidity rises, they reproduce more actively. The population should not panic—these insects are harmless to people,” Akhmedov concluded.
