"There are some special weather conditions that trigger the migration."ĭespite the size of the swarm, experts say that there is nothing to fear as the insects are not dangerous. "We have records clear from the 1060s of it happening, and I have seen it at least four or five times in my 30-plus years," he said. □ #VegasWeather /reQX7hJR7Y- NWS Las Vegas July 27, 2019 This typically includes birds, bats, and bugs, and most likely in our case-> Grasshoppers. Radar analysis suggests most of these echoes are biological targets. □ Some of you have been asking about the widespread radar returns the past few nights in #Vegas. "We'll have flights about this time of the year, migrations, and they'll move northward." "It appears through history that when we have a wet winter or spring, these things build up often down below Laughlin and even into Arizona," Jeff Knight, state entomologist from the Nevada Department of Agriculture, told Q13 Fox News. So far in 2019, Las Vegas has received nearly twice as much rain as it normally gets-a trend that also applies to the rest of Nevada-and has already exceeded its annual average rainfall (around 4 inches.) Experts say that the insects likely migrated to the area due to abnormally wet conditions. The swarms that have descended over the city over the past week are not unprecedented-they tend to occur every few years. This typically includes birds, bats, and bugs, and most likely in our case. "Radar analysis suggests most of these echoes are biological targets. "Some of you have been asking about the widespread radar returns the past few nights in Las Vegas," the National Weather Service tweeted. But closer inspection revealed that one of these areas represented something biological in origin, Reuters reported. On Saturday, meteorologists noticed that there were two areas of what looked like torrential rain on the radar map for Las Vegas. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.Las Vegas has been invaded by swarms of grasshoppers-and there are so many of the insects that they showed up on weather radar. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at for further information. Come because it's currently swarmed by grasshoppers.Ĭopyright © 2019 NPR. SHAPIRO: In other words, don't skip Vegas because it's currently swarmed by grasshoppers. And in Asian culture, grasshopper's very lucky, so there's a high concentration of luck in Las Vegas at the moment. In Las Vegas, we're always looking for things that are good luck. ROEBEN: Aside from the minor creepy factor, people should still come and have fun and see it for what it is. Here is Scott Roeben, the tourism blogger's pitch. SHAPIRO: If all of this is making you cringe, just wait. And the populations will start dropping off. KNIGHT: Well, the grasshoppers should continue for a maybe another week and a half or so. It's on the wane, I would say, at the moment.ĬORNISH: They may be on the wane, but they're not gone yet, says state entomologist Jeff Knight. They are removing the (laughter) lovely carcasses of these little creatures. ROEBEN: A lot of the hotels right now are in cleanup mode. And, anyway, they won't be around for long. SHAPIRO: Even if you don't find them adorable like Scott Roeben, they're not really annoying by insect standards. My encounters have been very innocuous with individuals. ROEBEN: I did not witness firsthand the kind of apocalyptic swarms that people have shared on social media, actually. They clustered around the hotel and casino lights in the hundreds of thousands - just one more attraction on the Vegas strip. And this is absolutely out of the norm (laughter).ĬORNISH: The grasshoppers arrived in the city a few days ago. SCOTT ROEBEN: Because the weather is pretty consistent, the weather persons really don't have a lot to talk about, so they love anything out of the norm. He runs, a site for tourists with info about what's going on around town. On the other hand, meteorologists are thrilled, says Scott Roeben. He does not sound too excited about this. SHAPIRO: That's actually from a recorded statement that his office issued to the media. JEFF KNIGHT: But they're really moving into the cities mainly because of the lights. He says pallid-winged grasshoppers swarm after a wet winter generally about every seven to 10 years. Jeff Knight is an entomologist for the state of Nevada - a bug scientist. How many? Well, enough to show up on weather radar. Like gamblers and tourists, grasshoppers are drawn to the lights of Las Vegas.
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