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What are locusts and what happened to them?

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Re: What are locusts and what happened to them?

#21

Post by pimlottc »

password4321 wrote: post #2

A nice weekend read that doesn't smell like AI but if you're short on time or interest: Though the locusts had a huge migratory range stretching all the way to the eastern seaboard, its reproductive range was only a handful of river valleys in Wyoming and Montana. Once plowed, irrigated and trampled by livestock the species had nowhere left to lay eggs.

This answers the title question but the most interesting part about the article is the fascinating way in which the locust’s behavior is triggered by crowding. An amazing biological adaption.

It’s well-worth reading the whole thing.

Re: What are locusts and what happened to them?

#22

Post by jezzamon »

daoboy wrote: post #8

My earliest introduction to locusts was as a biblical plague. These Sunday school lessons did not include pictures. I always imagined some twisted diminutive demonic swarm of insects, and was disappointed to finally discover they were just grasshoppers.

I have been in a locust plague once. It does feel very weird. Yes they are grasshoppers but you might be underestimating just how many there are. Plus they don't look normal, they actually change appearance when they're in a plague.

One small detail I remember was when the sun was just behind a building, you could see this glow around the building which was the sun reflecting off all the locusts that were flying around it

Re: What are locusts and what happened to them?

#23

Post by TaupeRanger »

jezzamon wrote: post #22
daoboy wrote: post #8

My earliest introduction to locusts was as a biblical plague. These Sunday school lessons did not include pictures. I always imagined some twisted diminutive demonic swarm of insects, and was disappointed to finally discover they were just grasshoppers.

I have been in a locust plague once. It does feel very weird. Yes they are grasshoppers but you might be underestimating just how many there are. Plus they don't look normal, they actually change appearance when they're in a plague. One small detail I remember was when the sun was just behind a building, you could see this glow around the building which was the sun reflecting off all the locusts that were flying arou…

One locust is an interesting bug. Billions of locusts are an apocalyptic nightmare.

Re: What are locusts and what happened to them?

#24

Post by knollimar »

pimlottc wrote: post #21
password4321 wrote: post #2

A nice weekend read that doesn't smell like AI but if you're short on time or interest: Though the locusts had a huge migratory range stretching all the way to the eastern seaboard, its reproductive range was only a handful of river valleys in Wyoming and Montana. Once plowed, irrigated and trampled by livestock the species had nowhere left to lay eggs.

This answers the title question but the most interesting part about the article is the fascinating way in which the locust’s behavior is triggered by crowding. An amazing biological adaption. It’s well-worth reading the whole thing.

It was until the animated insects. I threw my phone

Re: What are locusts and what happened to them?

#26

Post by AndrewKemendo »

knollimar wrote: post #24
pimlottc wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This answers the title question but the most interesting part about the article is the fascinating way in which the locust’s behavior is triggered by crowding. An amazing biological adaption. It’s well-worth reading the whole thing.

It was until the animated insects. I threw my phone

This was exactly my response
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