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Article: Hordes of caterpillars invade northern Liberia
- Article from:
- AP Worldstream
- Article date:
- January 22, 2009
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Hordes of voracious caterpillars are destroying crops and prompting terrified villagers to flee their homes in northern Liberia in what is described as the West African country's worst plague in 30 years, a U.N. agency said Thursday.
The Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization said the about 1-inch-long (2-3 centimeters) caterpillars _ described by villagers as "black, creeping and hairy" _ are advancing in the tens of millions, devouring vegetation and food crops.
The invasion is likely to spread to neighboring Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast unless it is quickly contained, said entomologist Winfred Hammond, who is also the agency's representative in ...