Locusts

photograph by Greg Morgan

Garden Locust (Acanthacris ruficornis) Adult basking in the sun.

photograph by Greg Morgan

Garden Locust (Acanthacris ruficornis) Instar with raindrops on it.   new 11/12/2010

Garden Locust (Acanthacris ruficornis) this bright green nymph was found in February 2006. An intermediate stage colour to translucent pale brown on the right.
It eventually turns brown at the adult stage.
These hoppers are preyed on by a Digger Wasp (Prionyx subfuscatus). 

Garden Locust (Acanthacris ruficornis) laying her eggs in the damp soil.
About 20 minutes and 11 holes later, the eggs were laid about 10mm deep.

The Locust egg holes were left open. The holes formed an arc, about 3 meters in diameter. The holes were approx. 120mm apart and laid in January 2006 at about 15h00 on a sunny day.

The eggs are parasitised by bombyliid flies (Systoechus) and other fly species (Stororhina lunata and Wohlfarhtia euvittata) which live inside the hoppers. These valuable insects act as pesticides, and can help reduce the locust numbers by up to a third of a swarm.