Locusta migratoria Linnaeus, 1758

Popova, Kristina V., Molodtsov, Vladimir V. & Sergeev, Michael G., 2020, Rare grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acridoidea) of the Baraba and Kulunda steppes (South Siberia), Acta Biologica Sibirica 6, pp. 595-609 : 595

Locusta migratoria Linnaeus, 1758

Migratory locust Figure 14

General distribution.

The most widely distributed acridid species. Its ranges includes almost all Eurasia (except the North), Africa, Australia and many islands. The nominotypical subspecies is mainly distributed over the extra-tropical regions of Eurasia. The Migratory locust is one of the most important transboundary pest in many tropical and subtropical countries of Old World and of the southern parts of temperate Eurasia too.

Local distribution and ecology.

In the first half of the 20th century adults of the Migratory locust have been found in many places in the southern part of West Siberian Plain (up to the southern taiga). However, these specimens were mainly originated from South-East Kazakhstan ( Berezhkov 1956) where some permanent habitat areas of this species were near Zaisan and Balkhash lakes and near the system of Alakol lakes and where upsurges could start. The adults and their swarms could migrate from these areas northward. However, at least several stable populations were known in the south-eastern part of the Plain. They could be recognized by common presence of larvae and young undamaged adults ( Wnukowskij 1926). Nowadays arrivals of swarms become very rare but at least several populations of the Migratory locust exist in the region ( Sergeev 2017). They are mainly associated with the typical habitats of the species, namely reed beds. Unfortunately, such habitats are not suitable for studies. As a result, solitarious locusts may be often missed during collecting trips.

Figures

Figures 10 - 15. 10 - Gomphocerippus rufus. 11 - Aeropedellus variegatus. 12 - Mesasippus arenosus. 13 - Mecostethus parapleurus. 14 - Locusta migratoria. 15 - Sphingonotus coerulipes.