What is Spotted Locust?

About Spotted Locust:

• It is a colorful grasshopper belonging to the family Pyrgomorphidae found in South and Southeast Asia.
• Scientific Name: Aularches miliaris
• Habitat: They are found on bushes or grasses in the agricultural area or forest.
• Features:
  • The head and thorax are dark blue with yellow bands under the eyes to the mouth; the abdomen is red with black bands. 
  • The legs are dark blue, and the femur has a yellow serrated pattern. The wings are green-brown with many yellow spots.
  • The bright warning colours keep away predators, and their defence when disturbed includes the ejection of a toxic foam.
  • This species can also make a sharp rasping voice.
  • The movement of this species is slow, which makes them easily caught.
  • It jumps in low and doesn’t fly.
  • It is an herbivore (folivore) insect that eats leaves of the host tree.

Q1: What is a grasshopper?

Grasshopper is any of a group of jumping insects (suborder Caelifera) that are found in a variety of habitats. Grasshoppers occur in greatest numbers in lowland tropical forests, semiarid regions, and grasslands. They range in colour from green to olive or brown and may have yellow or red markings.

Source: After snails, farmers in Idukki battling spotted locust infestation; experts say change in climate pattern could be a cause