صور مرعبة لاسراب الجراد الاحمر الذي هاجم المملكة المغربية

The "Desert Locust" or grasshopper appears in arid parts of Africa and Asia and is greatly
feared because of its ability to reproduce rapidly and because of its skill at adapting to the
harse environment found in the various deserts which cover Africa and parts of Asia. Farmers
especially dread this locust species since large swarms can strip vegetation from trees, plants,
and crops for many miles.

There are accounts of huge swarms of locusts mentioned in the bible. Swarms so large that they
literally turned day into night and devoured all vegetation in their path. Locusts are also linked
to various plagues which have tormented mankind for untold ages. Luckily, locust swarms of that
size and intensity are few and far between and even when they do occur, natural enemies and
modern insecticides keep them under control. The graphic below shows a large swarm of locusts
as they sweep across the savanna grasslands of Africa. The last locust plague occurred from 1986
to 1989. Locusts are often used as a food source by civilizations affected by the devastation of
their crops and other vegetation and, even today, locusts can be purchased as food items....often
covered with chocolate and various other concoctions.

Locusts are one of over a dozen species classified as short-horned grasshoppers which use their
large hind legs to leap large distances, they are different from our domestic grasshoppers in the
fact that they can alter their behavior and activities to endure the savage conditions of the desert.
When food is plentiful these locusts may maintain a solitary existence, looking out for their own
welfare but in times of stress....when food is scarce and arid conditions are even more demanding,
they often band together to search not only for food for themselves but for others of their kind.

Locusts which are solitary hunters are of a brownish shade with dark spotting; immature adults
take on a pinkish color shown in the insect pictured at the top of the page. This is a phenomonen
which, for years, had scientists and entomologists thinking that there were two separate species
present. It is thought this color-morphing occurs due to aging. Mature locusts are of a yellowish
color. These insects are one of the most destructive creatures in the world with large swarms
(40-50 million insects) eating enough vegetation and crops to feed more than 500 people for a
year.

Adult locusts are around 2 1/2 to 3 inches long, weigh 1/3 to 1/2 ounce and are capable of
sustained flight.....sometimes traveling vast distances. They can fly for 15-16 hours at a time
at a speed of 9-12 m.p.h., usually downwind and have been documented to have covered
over 2000 miles in a one month period. Females lay from 75 to 100 eggs at a time in soft soil
to a depth of around 1/2 inch with an incubation period of between 14 to 65 days, depending
on the temperature and the moisture available in the soil. After hatching, hoppers go through 5
stages (instars) of development, shedding their outer skin each time until finally they emerge as
a smaller replica of an adult, complete with wings.... which will rapidly develop in strength.

conditions.