Red Locust

Red locusts actively seek out moist environments such as seasonal floodplains. Grains are their primary food source, so grassy lowlands are prime habitat. They also like spending time in trees and thus prefer some tree cover. Red locusts are sedentary when ample shelter, perches, and food are available. In dry years, when the amount of suitable habitat is reduced, population densities increase. If the population density increases past a threshold, the locusts transform into their gregarious phase, changing their behaviour and anatomy. When gregarious, red locusts keep together in large swarms and fly with the wind in daylight hours, looking for more food. The higher temperatures during daylight enable gregarious locusts to travel longer distances by flying longer and higher, aided by thermal lift. A swarm rarely moves more than 20–30 km in a day. In contrast, solitary locusts prefer to fly in the dark and do so alone. Compared to their solitary phase, gregarious red locusts also have:

reduced lifespan more markings five instar stages rather than six longer sexual maturation larger and heavier young, although they lay fewer eggs Swarming females often lay eggs at night. Their young immediately behave gregariously and are capable of "hopping" hundreds of metres every day.