Reproduction of Locust

Some locust (Anbeta in Amharic) species can breed rapidly under a favourable condition and when their populations increase they become gregarious and migratory. They are the swarming phase of certain species of short-horned grasshoppers (Fenta in Amharic). Locusts can also be solitary insects with their lifestyle much similar to grasshoppers and their life spans vary from 2 to 5 months.

Locusts Devastate Agricultural Crops and Cause Human Misery

Locust swarms wipe-out crops, vegetation and cause major agricultural damage and human misery, famine and starvation. Locusts are notorious plant pests in Northern Part of Ethiopia. In Ethiopia there was an African locust control headquarters in Addis Ababa. I have no clue whether this organisation is still functioning or dismantled by the existing system just like some other organisations and institutions. Locust can eat as much plants as its own weight each day.  A swarm of huge size would eat up to 192 million kilograms of plants every day.

Locusts Travel Long Distances

Flying locusts in swarms can be carried by the help of wind and their wings hundreds of miles from their breeding grounds.  Like the individual animals within them, locust swarms are typically in motion and can cover vast distances.  It had been reported that in 1954, a swarm of locust flew from Northwest Africa to Great Britain. In 1988, Locust swarms travelled from West Africa to the Caribbean.

Biological Control of Locust (Pests)

In food chain locust and grasshopper are grass eaters and their predators are mainly birds, Cougar, some lizards, chameleons, weasels and snakes. It seems that there are people who eat locust. However, there is no a clear report about their cultural or indigenous knowledge on how they harvest, Cooke and eat it. I have read in some literature, locus is eaten by humans as a famine food by the poorest of the poor.

By Iwooket Alemu: www.iwooket.com

References

https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071005031700AAYR3zg

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/locust/