Is a yellow-winged grasshopper the same as a plague locust?
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S.L., Cambrian Hill.
The two are different species. The yellow-winged locust occurs in the Ballarat district in varying numbers every summer and autumn.
This is the large, yellow-winged grasshopper we see in paddocks and on roadsides. Its body is usually green, with yellow and black in its wings. The tips of the wings are clear. It makes a sharp clicking or cracking noise in flight, which the plague locust does not.
The plague locust is usually brown, with clear wings with black tips. There is no yellow in its wings. It is not found in the Ballarat district every year.
When flushed, it usually flies five or more metres before dropping to the ground, where it is difficult to see.
- Questions and photos are welcome. Send to Roger Thomas at The Courier, PO Box 21, Ballarat, 3353, or email to rthomas@vic.australis.com.au