Caterpillars threaten farmers

Russian farmers are in a race to save their crops against a plague of caterpillars, blown in from China.

The habits of the caterpillars are as yet unknown, as is the reason they chose 2008 to return to Khabarovsk region.

They become cocoons at the end of August then local scientists can conduct tests to find out how long they might stay, though that all depends on the weather.

Benet Allen reports.