10 Interesting Locust Facts

Thursday, June 19th 2014. | Animals


Locust facts present the information about the short horned grasshoppers in Acrididae family. Under the perfect condition, locust can breed rapidly. As adults, the locusts can made swarms and nymphs. Let’s find out more facts about locust below:

Locust Facts 1: disadvantages of locust

Even though the swarms and bands are nomadic, they often destroy the crops of farmer. The adult locusts are considered as the powerful fliers. The animals like to eat the green materials. They also like to travel far away due to the powerful flying skill.

Locust Facts 2: growth

Let’s find out the growth of a locust. In average, it has the length of 15 cm or 6 inches.

Locust Facts

Locust Facts

Locust Facts 3: edible insects

Even though locust is considered as a pest for farmers, they are considered as food in some countries. Throughout the history, this insect is consumed by people.

Locust Facts 4: skin reaction

You need to be careful with locusts. The animals can produce toxin when they swarm. If you are contaminated with the toxin, you can create allergy or skin reaction under the sunlight.

Locust Pic

Locust Pic

Locust Facts 5: types of locusts

There are many types of locusts that you can learn. You can observe red locust, Australian plague locust, American locust, migratory locust, Rocky mountain locusts, brown locust, Moroccan locust and desert locust.

Locust Facts 6: Melanoplus spretus

Melanoplus spretus is the scientific name of Rocky Mountain Locust. It was spotted in North America.  This animal often created very big swarms. However, in the end of 19th century, the locust died out.

Locust Swarms

Locust Swarms

Locust Facts 7: sex

It is not easy for the people to distinguish the female and male locusts. If you look at the end of the abdomen, you can distinguish the sex of locust easily. The females have two serrated valves, while the males have a boat shaped tip.

Locust Facts 8: valves

The valves are very important to life of the female locusts. They are used to dig the hole.  The egg pod will be deposited by the female locusts on the hole.

Locust Plague

Locust Plague

Locust Facts 9: swarming behavior

Locust is always associated with the swarming behavior. The research states that it has something to do with a response of overcrowding. When swarming, the locusts can breed easily, eat much food and change color of body.

Locust Facts 10: the largest swarms

The swarms that locusts created can cover hundreds of square mile area. It can contain billions of locusts.  In the past, it was linked with plague. You can read it in the bible. Check bible facts here.

Locust

Locust

Locust has been known in the past after they ate all crops in Egypt. People call it as the plagues of Egypt. The word locust appeared in the Quran and Bible too. Do you have anything to say on facts about locust?


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