Dahlia-Marie Westmoreland

The desert locust's alter ego state occurs when the inhabited desert has a period of rain,

green spots emerge.

Two States of the Desert Locust

1. Solitary, green in colour, subdued. Normal state

2. Gregarious State: Enlarged, extremely social, swarms and attacks, changes colour and markings

Water moistens the soil, the locusts lay their eggs. Surrounding vegetation grows eagerly sheltering the young demanding the rising population rest and eat. A series of metabolic and hormonal changes ensue, reversing the solitary instinct. Their bodies develop warning marks in black and yellow.

Marcescent, marcescere