Locust
Schistocerca gregaria
Olympic Athletes
Locusts are incredible long-distance flyers. They can stay in the air for long periods, regularly crossing the 300 km of the Red Sea, and can cover up to 150 km in a single day.
Giant Swarms
A single swarm can be absolutely massive. The largest swarms can cover hundreds of square miles and contain billions of individual locusts, thick enough to block out the sun.
Ancient History
Locusts are one of the most famous insects in history. They are the eighth of the ten plagues in the Book of Exodus, and are also mentioned in the Quran.
Field notes
| Range | Found in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | 3 to 5 months |
| Size | 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 inches) |
| Weight | Approximately 2 to 3 grams |
| Colour | Phase-Dependent |
| Diet | Herbivorous (Polyphagous) |
| Family | About 12 major locust species |
In the book
The Locust is number 64 of the 101 creatures in Glowing Bugs. Its two pages show it from three sides, at its true size, with a map of where it lives. The plate is an artistic interpretation and does not show the true colours of the living animal.
