Desert Locust

OrthopteraAcrididae
OrderOrthoptera
FamilyAcrididae
Size4-6 cm
HabitatArid regions, Africa/Asia
DietVegetation (massive consumption)

About the Desert Locust

The most destructive insect on the planet. A single swarm can contain 80 million individuals per square kilometer and consume food equivalent to 35,000 people daily. Swarms can travel 150 km per day. They transform from solitary to gregarious behavior when crowded - serotonin levels spike, changing their color, body shape, and behavior within hours. Plagues have been documented since ancient Egypt. The 2020 East Africa swarm threatened food security for 25 million people.

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