What happens when locusts hatch?
From each egg, an immature locust emerges, called a nymph or more commonly a hopper. As the hoppers grow and develop, they pass through five, and in some circumstances six, stages of development called instars. The hoppers moult between each instar to enable their body to expand. In mid summer, the hoppers take around 20-25 days to complete their development before maturing into adults that are capable of flight. Australian plague locusts may disperse by walking while young hoppers or by flying as adults. At higher densities, the hoppers may form dense groups known as bands that move across an infested area en masse stripping vegetation. Similarly, adult locusts can form large groups called swarms that can invade and swiftly defoliate plants and crops.
