Farmers are being warned locusts which have hatched in the western region could begin flying within days.
The Livestock Pest and Health Authority (LHPA) says the nymphs in the Nyngan district, which have not been sprayed, will be almost mature.
Senior Ranger Lisa Thomas said once the pests begin flying, they become much harder to control.
“Unfortunately aerial control is not an option and it becomes very frustrating for everyone then because people really feel that the hard work that they’ve put in has been to no avail if they get damage from locusts flying in,” she said.
“The saving grace at the moment is we have a magnificent depth of pasture and the impact of locusts on that pasture should be fairly negligible.”
The LHPA is conducting aerial surveys north east of Nyngan and around Dubbo and Wellington during the next three days, to determine if any further aerial spraying is needed.
Authorities are also inspecting land north east of Nyngan around the Marra Creek area to see if any locust bands survived recent spraying.
Ms Thomas says surveillance will also take place between Trangie, Dandaloo and Peak Hill and from Yeoval to Duneedoo and Mendooran.
She says the surveillance will determine whether further spraying needs to happen.
“We’re concerned that there may be areas that are not being attended to or viewed from the air and potentially some of that could be crops.
“So, we’re very mindful that we do need to go over those cropping areas to make sure we’re not having infestations of locusts turn up in crops which obviously can’t be viewed unless you’re above them.”
