Locusts: Only a few grasshopper species

Only a few grasshopper species become locusts , which can shift from solitary to swarming behavior under favorable conditions. Locusts and grasshoppers are acridids, i.e. short-horned insects belonging to a Family called Acrididae in the Orthoptera Order, which also gathers crickets and long-horned grasshoppers. Insects belonging to the Orthoptera Order can be readily identified by their large hind legs which enable them to jump. Short-horned grasshoppers Long-horned grasshoppers Crickets Locusts differ from grasshoppers by their capacity to react to high densities. Under crowded conditions, their behaviour ... Locust, any of a group of insects, usually short-horned grasshoppers, in the family Acrididae known for their destructive migratory swarm phase. Introduction Locusts are a species of insects that fall under the family Acrididae and the order Orthoptera. Locusts are found all over the world and look very similar to grasshopper insects. Very often the locusts are mistaken for grasshoppers. The characteristics of locusts vary depending on the species. For example, the Locusta migratoria known as migratory locust is found in grasslands of Africa, South Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Similarly, the South American locust known as ...