Do insects ever cause natural disasters?
Yes. Locusts periodically cause natural disasters in several parts of the world. Locusts (order Orthoptera) are identical in appearance to grasshoppers but locusts can exist in two different behavioural states (solitary and gregarious) whereas grasshoppers do not. When the locust population density is low the locusts behave as individuals. However, when the population density increases locusts form highly mobile swarms.The change from solitary to gregarious is generally accompanied by changes in body shape and colour.
