Abnormally heavy rains last year, made more likely by Indian Ocean long-term warming, have exacerbated a locust infestation across eastern Africa. Higher temperatures encourage the insects to spread to places previously less suitable, in turn, destroying vast swaths of farmland and pasture for some of the planet’s poorest people. A range of insects now consume about 10% of the globe’s food, but that will increase to 15 to 20% by 2021. Hotter weather will speed up their metabolism so they’ll eat more.
www.cbc.ca/news/technology/insects-climate-change-1.4805183