Biblical plague of locusts swarm Madagascar as billions of the insects make their annual migration

These incredible photos capture the biblical-like scenes in Madagascar where a plague of locusts - numbering in their billions - have descended on the country's farmland for the third year running. An enormous dark cloud of the flying insects is pictured obscuring the sky in the east African island country's capital of Antananarivo, sparking panic for Madagascar's nine million agricultural workers. After first occurring in 2012 - the gigantic plague is no longer a phenomenon but an annual migration of the bugs - which can each eat their own body weight in food every day. Left to themselves, the locusts would devastate the country's agriculture, each consuming around two grams of food each day that they are among crops. Desperate farmers have been attempting to protect their land by starting fires and increasing their use of insecticides, the Independent reports.