Locustae

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A member of a family of grasshoppers characterized by swarming behavior, typically known for devastating crop damage
2. An insect that exhibits gregariousness and migratory patterns during certain life stages
3. A term referring to a phase of certain species that switch between solitary and gregarious forms depending on environmental conditions

Etymology: "Locustae" is the Latin plural of "locusta," the word for a locust or grasshopper. In English it turns up mainly in technical and learned writing, where it names the swarming, migratory phase of these insects, and it carries the Latin plural ending rather than the English "locusts." The singular "locusta" has its own roots in ancient Latin usage for the grasshopper family, which is the core of the word's meaning.

Synonyms: locusts, grasshoppers, insects, orthopterans, swarmers