Locusts Swarms 2024. Locusts belong to the same family as grasshoppers and are far more destructive because they feed on a variety of plant life. Individual locusts are more prone to infest arid areas punched by extreme rainfall.

This piece, originally published in 2021, has been updated for 2024, most recently with new details about brood xix and brood xiii. In a new study, researchers say climate change and extreme weather could trigger more frequent and destructive locust swarms, threatening global food security.