Locust

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/locust

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Acrididae
2. What makes locusts change from being alone to forming big swarms?Locusts can switch from shy, solitary behavior to social, active behavior when they bump into many other locusts and smell each other. This change makes them darker, more active, and they start moving together in large groups.
3. Why do locusts eat so much food when they swarm?Locusts can eat almost any green plant they see. In a swarm, they can consume up to 100 metric tons of vegetation each day, which is like the food of thousands of people or many elephants.

Phase Polyphenism: The ability of an insect species to exhibit distinct behavioral and morphological forms in response to environmental conditions, particularly population density.
Gregarious Phase: The life stage of locusts characterized by aggregation, increased activity, color change, and migratory behavior, leading to swarm formation.
Polyphagous: An organism that feeds on a wide variety of plants or food sources.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM): A sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools to minimize economic, health, and environmental risks.