A HOT, dry spring has isolated locusts to small pockets in the state's north and Central West - but that could change if spring rain arrives as predicted.
Australian Plague Locust Commission director Chris Adriaansen said locust hatchings this season had so far been limited to sparse but intense patches around Narrarbri, Gunnedah, and Coonabarabran, with farmers at Bourke also reporting small bands of nymphs.
Mr Adriaansen said the pattern was consistent with the adult locust population seen during autumn and would only change if the rain forecast for November and December hit the east coast.
"Consistently for the past three years we have started the spring season with very low locust numbers, which was in line with what has been happening during winter," Mr Adriaansen said.
"There will always be patches of rain that support pockets of locust populations, but in terms of widespread infestation, you can't expect numbers to increase dramatically if the conditions remain dry."
Mr Adriaansen said the Riverina should not expect locust hatchings until late October, and, as there were only isolated areas of high-density adults during winter, a widespread infestation looks unlikely.
Mixed farmer and contract sprayer Josh O'Connor, "Lynwood", Eumungerie, said he expected clients to start spraying if rain arrived in the next week or so.
He hadn't seen much egg or nymph activity around the Central West so far.
"We're not really stressing a great deal - there's not a great deal on the ground because it has dried off," he said.
- ALEX DRUCE
"We would welcome rain if it came. If we don't get rain, we'll be short of peat, an you need it to help the crop get to its potential. I guess you just accept the locusts will pick up a bit if it does."