desert locust

American  

noun

1. a migratory locust, Schistocerca gregaria, of North Africa and Asia, associated with the plagues described in the Old Testament.

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Etymology

Origin of desert locust

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

desert locust

Unlike the desert locust, this species does not form massive swarms, but its frequent appearances and smaller groupings can cause even greater harm to local farmers.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 24, 2026

It gives the example of the Rub’ al Khali, or Empty Quarter, a desert in the southern Arabian Peninsula, as a place that was historically uncommon for desert locust outbreaks but then became a hotspot.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 14, 2024

Extreme wind and rain may lead to bigger and worse desert locust outbreaks, with human-caused climate change likely to intensify the weather patterns and cause higher outbreak risks, a new study has found.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 14, 2024

The main species that it breeds is the migratory locust, but it also farms the desert locust, and a bush cricket called nsenene.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2021

Along with other problems, the desert locust is back again They covered the whole face of the earth, wasting all things.

From Time Magazine Archive