Saudi Arabia | With the advent of the locust season and the demand for locusts to be eaten.. Waqaa Center warns against catching locusts before mid-April for this reason

Weather of Arabia - Some markets in several governorates in Saudi Arabia are witnessing these days, a demand to buy wild locusts as it enters its season, as it stays for a few days and then migrates to another region.

And locusts are hunted at night from the branches of trees and plants, especially when the weather is cold, as locusts become unable to fly, but during the daytime it is difficult to catch them.

The locusts are particularly popular with the elderly, both men and women, and when cooking, the locusts are cleaned and washed well before cooking, then placed in a pot of water and left to boil, with salt and spices added to it.

Locusts are eaten and sold in the Al-Jardah market in the city of Buraydah with the onset of spring, where they are popular among the elderly, with prices varying according to their shape and quantity.

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Warnings of collecting locusts in Mecca and Medina

The branch of the National Center for the Prevention of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases "Waqaa" in the regions of Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Madinah, and the General Administration for Desert Locust Control, warned against collecting locusts in Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Madinah until April 15.

The center urged all citizens and residents to take precautions and beware of pesticides and stay away from control sites, stressing that locusts sprayed with pesticides should not be collected and used for cooking and eating, due to the presence of pesticide residues on the insect's body.

He urged everyone to report upon sighting desert locusts, in the interest of their health and safety.

On the other hand, specialists have warned against eating locusts that are being controlled using pesticides, as those who eat them may be exposed to poisoning with these pesticides, which remain attached to the body of dead locusts even after being cooked.

Read also: What is a locust? What are the benefits and harms of locusts and how is locust control carried out