(CNN) – Massive swarms of grasshoppers have descended upon Las Vegas this week, and it’s startling some residents. The winged insects may outnumber the humans in some parts of town, but it’s not something to worry about. The pallid-winged grasshopper is a common desert species, a state entomologist said. “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 with the
Nevada Department of Agriculture, said Thursday. “We’ll have flights about this time of the year, migrations, and they’ll move northward.” Nevada has seen more rain than usual this year. The state has averaged 9.94 inches of rain from January through June, nearly double the average of 5.92 inches, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It’s the third-wettest January to June on record for the state. For Lyft driver Jessica Palmore, driving through the buggy night along the Strip is startling. “When I see them, it’s like being in a movie. Never seen nothing like this ever!” Palmore said Friday. READ MORE
