Did you know that Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was attacked by locusts in 1748–1749. To protect the Monastery’s estates, which were almost devasted by this type of vermin, the fight was organized against them.

In June 1748, there spread the rumors that the swarms of locusts appeared in the Lavra’s estates located on the right bank of the Dnieper River. The person who passed this information to the Monastery’s authorities, was Mukhailo Leontiyev, Governor-General of Kyiv. Shortly after, Governors of small Ukrainian towns - Vasylkiv and Bezradytchy, confirmed that the locust’s invasion began. The household manager of Lavra addressed the inhabitants of the estates to eradicate the pests by trampling them with their feet, so that the locusts could not reproduce themselves. Further correspondence between Luka (Bilousovych), the Archimandrite of Pechersk Monastery, the Governor-General and local administrators contained detailed recommendations on other methods (such as, burning, trampling by cattle, etc. depending on the season) used in the 18^th century to destroy the locust. The Governor of Dymer received help from the Gogol Cossacks. Sotnik (lieutenant of Cossack troops) sent his soldiers to Dymerka to confront the locust invasion. They had special tools for crushing the pests. Soon the “army” of Gogol Cossacks grew in number: Kyiv Cossacks joined it. The fight against locust became a real problem. That is why, Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery started business correspondence with the Synod and the Senate to find the solution for the problem.

Caption to the illustration:

1. Locust invasion. Engraving by Nicholas Piscator from the “Piscator Bible”. 1639