Grasshopper vs Locust
Verdict: A locust is a grasshopper species that can switch into a swarming phase. The deciding sign is behavior: lone, scattered insects are acting like grasshoppers, while dense bands, color change and long migrations are locust behavior.
Locusts are not a separate kind of insect. They are certain grasshopper species that, when crowded, change both behavior and body color and form dense bands of young and swarms of adults. In their solitary phase they act and look like ordinary grasshoppers, which is why the two names are so hard to separate by sight alone.
Another common mix-up is flight. Most grasshoppers have wings and can fly, so flying does not make an insect a locust. In the US, the Rocky Mountain locust died out, and insects with names such as Carolina locust never show true locust behavior. So a yard insect in the US is almost always a grasshopper.
Grasshopper vs Locust side by side
| Trait | Grasshopper | Locust |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Insect that stays solitary or in loose groups | Grasshopper species able to change phase when crowded |
| Phase change | Does not switch to a swarming form | Switches from solitary to gregarious phase |
| Group behavior | Acts as individuals | Forms dense hopper bands and adult swarms |
| Color and form | Keeps its usual coloring | Can change; desert locusts shift from green to black with orange markings |
| Flight | Most have wings and can fly | Fly too, but migrate in coordinated groups over long distances |
| Range | Local, a yard or field | A desert locust plague can reach parts of 60 countries, about 29 million square kilometers |
| Crop damage | Local chewing, sometimes serious | Can devastate crops and become a major agricultural pest |
| Status in the US | Common in fields and yards | Rocky Mountain locust is extinct; 'Carolina locust' is a misleading name for a grasshopper |
Last verified October 2026. Typical values; individual animals, products and local prices vary.
When you are looking at which
Grasshopper
- You see scattered individuals hopping out of the grass as you walk through a field.
- The insects stay a normal green or tan shade and do not gather in dense groups.
- You are in a US yard or field, where true swarming locusts no longer occur.
- The damage is patchy leaf chewing on garden plants.
Locust
- Thousands of insects march together as wingless bands, or fly in a dense cloud.
- The insects have changed color, such as black with orange markings in desert locusts.
- You are in a plague region in Africa, the Middle East or Asia.
- Whole fields of crops are stripped bare.
How this works
The quiz checks crowding, color, location, damage and movement, the signals agencies use to separate locust phase behavior from ordinary grasshopper behavior. It treats the answer as a spectrum, since the same species can be either one depending on how crowded the population gets.
It cannot name a species. A single insect, a photo or a roadside swarm of grasshoppers may fit either answer. If you suspect a true locust swarm, report it to your local agriculture or extension office, or to the national locust agency in your country.
Where these numbers come from
The figures and defaults on this page are based on:
- FAO Locust Watch: What are locusts?, Phase change, swarming, color shift and desert locust range (checked October 2026)
- eXtension: Locust vs Grasshopper, Locust as swarming grasshopper, flight, Rocky Mountain locust and Carolina locust (checked October 2026)
Field-identification guide; the same species can be a grasshopper or a locust depending on crowding, so behavior matters more than appearance.
Frequently asked questions
Is a locust a grasshopper?
Yes. A locust is a kind of grasshopper that can switch from a solitary phase to a gregarious phase, forming bands and swarms. Only certain grasshopper species can do this.
Can grasshoppers fly?
Most grasshoppers have wings and can fly. What sets locusts apart is their tendency to migrate as coordinated swarms, not the ability to fly.
Do locusts live in the US?
Not as swarming pests today. The Rocky Mountain locust, which swarmed in the 1870s, is extinct, and grasshoppers with names like Carolina locust do not show locust behavior.
How big can a locust plague get?
Very big. Desert locusts normally occupy about 16 million square kilometers, but during plagues they can extend over or into parts of 60 countries, about 29 million square kilometers.
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