# Desert Locust (*Schistocerca gregaria*) Desert Locusts are grasshoppers that live in dry places. They can travel long distances in search of food! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Deserts and arid regions - **Also known as:** Schistocerca gregaria ![Desert Locust](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426537/objects/5531.jpg) ## Appearance The Desert Locust is a medium-sized insect, typically brownish-yellow in its solitary phase, often turning bright yellow with black markings when it swarms. It has powerful hind legs for jumping and large, veined wings that allow for long flights. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Orthoptera - **Family:** Acrididae - **Genus:** Schistocerca ## Interesting facts - A single swarm can contain billions of locusts, stretching for many kilometers! - Locusts have ears on their belly, which helps them detect other locusts nearby! - Their color changes from green to yellow and black when they are about to swarm! - They can fly non-stop for up to 17 hours, crossing vast deserts and oceans! ## Special abilities - **Swarm Transformer:** Desert Locusts can change from solitary individuals to vast, destructive swarms that helps them migrate and find food in huge numbers. - **Endurance Flyer:** Desert Locusts have powerful wings and strong muscles that helps them fly for days across continents without rest. - **Rapid Reproducer:** Desert Locusts can lay hundreds of eggs in their lifetime that helps them increase their numbers quickly during outbreaks. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 80-100 mm - **Size:** 30-50 mm - **Lifespan:** 75-150 days - **Flight Speed:** 20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding They munch on almost any plant, from grasses to valuable farm crops like wheat and maize. - **Primary Foods:** grasses, wheat, maize, barley, date palm, cotton - **Foraging Method:** Grazing ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [White Stork](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-stork) (*Ciconia ciconia*) — Large birds like storks consume millions of locusts during outbreaks. - **Eaten by:** Common Kestrel (*Falco tinnunculus*) — Kestrels efficiently hunt locusts from the air as a food source. - **Eats:** Common Wheat (*Triticum aestivum*) — They devastate fields of wheat, a critical food crop for humans. - **Eats:** Maize (*Zea mays*) — Locust swarms consume maize, causing significant agricultural damage. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects-and-bugs) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not touch or pick up. Some insects sting or bite. Ask an adult for help. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Desert Locust? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Desert Locust's wingspan? 80-100 mm ### How big is Desert Locust? 30-50 mm ### How long does Desert Locust live? 75-150 days ### How fast can Desert Locust fly? 20 km/h ### What does Desert Locust eat? They munch on almost any plant, from grasses to valuable farm crops like wheat and maize. ### Where is Desert Locust usually found? Deserts and arid regions ### How does Desert Locust hunt? Grazing ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Desert Locust: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-locust)