# Black locusts



## obie_1 (Feb 1, 2007)

I made my usual order of locusts last week and was emailed to let me know they were having problems with theyre usual locusts and were having to buy in from somewhere else,they werent theyre usual black and yellow colour but quite dark brown nearly black,they told me they were called locusta has anybody ever heard of these before?If so where can you buy them from? cos they lasted alot better.


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

There are two types of locusts in the feeder trade:

Schistocerca gregaria (The desert locust - the nymphs are quite yellow, with black patterning; they're more commonly bred as feeders in the UK)
Locusta migratoria (The migratory locust - these are the ones that, as adults, have quite an attractive eye-stripe; they're more commonly bred as feeders in Europe)

Unfortunately I've never found anywhere that let you choose which species of locust you want, it was whatever species they had at the time.


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## obie_1 (Feb 1, 2007)

Ok cheers for that info the company did have to buy them in must of been from abroad then shame cos they lasted much better.


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## Jim2109 (Mar 30, 2009)

my orders are usually a combination of both. i get 2 very different types of locust, and they have varying body shapes as well as colouring. its not that unusual really, migratory locusts are quite common in mainland Europe (they dont venture as far north as the UK anymore, maybe that will change as the climate warms up through global warming, alledgedly) whereas desert locusts are far more common in much hotter and drier climates. 

migratory locusts would probably live longer in a UK house than desert locusts. they are probably the hardiest of the locust species from what i have read. they are found pretty much anywhere in the world, from Australasia to South East Asia, to Africa and Europe (the warmer parts at least).

im currently breeding (or at least attempting!) a mixture of both. i ordered 2 tubs of sub-adults and there is probably 15 or so desert locusts, and a handful of migratory ones.


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

I breed both species. I keep them together but the Locusta seem to be easier than the Schistocerca, or at least they seem to be dominating the colony. It seems Locusta are only available as imports into the UK as said earlier. This seems strange since they are very productive and are happy in cooler conditions than Schistocerca. This should surely reduce heating costs for the breeders, so you would think somebody would be offering them in the Uk ?


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## peterf (Jul 27, 2007)

Husbandry for both species is much the same except in feeding.
Locusta are grass eaters and most breeders have to also grow wheat or grass to feed them on.
Schistocerca are leafy green eaters and food, in the form of leafy cabbage is more readily available year round.
I breed Schistocerca and they eat 1000 kilos of top quality leafy cabbage.....every day!


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

Hi Peter

I would have said exactly the same a year ago, but it is not true. I breed a more modest 600 XL hoppers a week compared to the thousands you breed. My locusta feed for many months each year without any grasses. They feed happily on the cabbages we grow. Even when we are feeding only cabbages the Locusta seem to dominate the Schistocerca.


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## peterf (Jul 27, 2007)

Points taken, but I am sure that you would find that if you are looking at optimum production when commercially breeding that feeding Locusta on cabbage will not get the best results.
Locusta are well documented as being grass eaters and all commercial growers of them feed them on grasses of some sort.
Locusts will eat any green food for its moisture but will not thrive on food that they do not normally eat.
I have also bred Locusta commercially and they will not be viable on cabbage but they will get bye on it.


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

Many years ago I found Locusta would refuse anything other than grasses unless starving. I suspect I have a strain that is used to it. These Locusta seem very happy to eat cabbage, nothing like the Locusta I kept years ago. I would estimate that 80% plus of the hatchlings survive to XL size. I have been breeding Locusts for over 10 years

Later on I will see how they react when I put some cabbage in at the same time as some 8 day old germinated wheat. I will let you know what happens.


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## peterf (Jul 27, 2007)

Would be interesting to see what they do. Let us know your findings on this thread.
I am sure they are adaptive, after all they tend to destroy entire crops when in plague but both species have mouthparts that have evolved to eat different types of food.
I have raised both species with no green food whatsoever by just offering alternative water sources but their reproductive capacity is vastly reduced.
Every European breeder that I know feeds sprouted wheat or grasses, depending on seasons to Locusta. 
My Schistocerca colony conversly would survive on grasses as they would eat it as a moisture source but we would certainly see a dramatic reduction in production and survivability.


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