Locust Swarm Reaches The Canary Islands - Reuters

CORRALEJO, Spain - "Millions of pink locusts swept through one of Spain's Canary Islands on Monday, driving tourists from its storied beaches.

The swarm reached the island of Fuerteventura from West Africa -- just 150 kms (95 miles) away -- late on Sunday and covered an area of some 1 million square metres (11 million square feet), said Antonio Ortega, director general of the regional agriculture department.

Locusts have destroyed crops in central and western Africa in recent months but Ortega said the flying insects were too tired from their journey across a stretch of the Atlantic to eat much on the Canaries.

"They are not eating ... because of the long journey they are exhausted and they are not ingesting," Ortega said, adding authorities had decided not to spray the insects to avoid harming the environment."

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