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Animal profile

Desert Locust

Schistocerca gregaria

InsectaArid and semi-arid land across North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia

Field profile

The desert locust is a grasshopper that switches between a solitary form and a swarming gregarious form. Solitary individuals are green and shy; gregarious ones are yellow or pink, larger-brained and highly social. Swarms can strip crops across whole regions.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2026-05-19

Desert Locust

Crowding turns a shy grasshopper into a locust

The desert locust has two forms so different that they were once described as separate species. The switch is triggered by physical contact, specifically repeated touching of the hind legs, and can begin within hours of crowding.

Read with evidence →

Desert Locust | Daily Animal Facts