The people of Princes Town have been living in a horror movie for the past two weeks.
The Moruga locusts (Coscineuta virens) have swarmed by the millions, munching through fruit trees and ornamental plants, and threatening to destroy acres of crops in surrounding farmlands.
Cars driving through the area are often covered by the insects, and people walking about the town are constantly swatting away the bugs flying about by the thousands.
They are getting into homes, cars and businesses, and are resistant to insect repellents.
When the sky darkened over parts of Manahambre, Lothians and St Croix last Wednesday morning, residents thought it was a change in weather, a sign of incoming rain or storm.
But as the dark cloud descended, thousands of locusts landed on their fruit trees, crops and plants devouring everything in sight.
“I lived here for about 40 years or so and this is the first time I have seen anything like this. The sky got dark, and it sounded like rain and thunder to us how loud it was.
“Then they came down on everything, all our trees in the back, the avocados, the chataigne and they swarmed. If you go outside right now, they will even cover you,” said a resident of Marcano Street in Princes Town, Trinidad.
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