Experts estimate that 100 million locusts swarmed over the
Canary Islands in November. The locusts, nicknamed
'sky prawns' have invaded Fuerteventura and
Lanzarote, the worst incidence in over 50 years.
The desert locusts flew to the Canaries across the 60 miles
of ocean from North Africa, where an infestation this summer
wreaked havoc on crops. The insects, around 2.5 in long
and two grams in weight, can travel twice that far in 24
hours. A 40 million swarm can eat 40,000 tons of
vegetation a day.