# Ooops.. brought back an illegal immigrant?



## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

I've just found a locust hiding in the front wheel. It must be 4" long, we were in Italy in October/November then in the Alps in January so Italy must be favourite.

Anyone seen one in UK before?


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

It could be Gilbert. If it is he has been trying to get into the UK since 2009. We picked him up in Italy we think and he stayed under our luton (outside) all the way to Brittany for several weeks.

He was last seen in a little boat made out of a kebab tray trying to row out of St Malo harbour. I guess he didnt make it that time!

I think I have some photos of him somewhere. He was much greener then. Look after him. Its been a long journey.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Sure it's not a grasshopper or a cricket ? Plenty of them in UK though it is a bit early for adults- June more usual- but the warm weather could have surprised it.

See:

Grasshopper images

G


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

Haven't we got enough problems with processional caterpillars (Sunday Times today) in this country without worrying about a plague of locusts?

Put it in the frying pan and enjoy it with either drawn butter or BBQ sauce.

:wav: :wav: :wav:


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

I've been having a google and apparently locusts are grasshoppers, it's definitely not a cricket. I'm sure it's not a Field Grasshopper; this thing is bigger than my fingers!

I'm pretty certain it must be a Desert Locust which sometimes reach Italy but they don't live long enough to have survived all winter, especially since we had successive nights at -20 whilst skiing.

I can't find ANY mention of them ever reaching UK.

Could it be that it has escaped from a neighbour who feeds them to reptiles?

It is still basking in the sun.


edit: I'd like to "unthank" you for that suggestion Keith!


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I used to stay in a Villa on Corfu and we had musical Crickets (or whatever they are).

Im not making this up but you would put the stereo on on an evening and about three of them would come and sit on the speaker and bob up and down to the music. When you switched it off they reluctantly cleared off.

I think you should keep him as a motorhome mascot. Better than a dog and less messy. Then again its took him years to get here from Italy. He might be pretty hacked off if you take him back.


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

I was thinking of picking it out until I found this photo.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We used to keep locusts in my lab (taught biology) they are surprisingly long lived (4 months plus) and will survive cold temperatures although they are much less active if cool.

It looks like a desert locust;_ Locusta locusta migratoides_ if my memory serves me right, they will eat any green material but their favourite is simple cut grass - cut long and kept in water at the base.

The ideal temperature is around 32C - for breeding purposes temperature is critical for successful development of the larval stages.
Only the adults can fly and the stimulus for that is two-fold - feet off the ground and a breeze on the head.

Sadly, a few did escape from the lab (kids not very dextrous at keeping the tubes closed but they do not survive long outside since they are a popular prey for birds........

Swarms HAVE been reported even in Spain...........

The amount of food that a swarm eats is beyond belief and is measured in hundreds or thousands of tonnes..........

They can also show cannibalistic tendencies..........

The picture below is of an adult male, the female is slightly larger and more brown in colour.

Dave


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

Back out in the sun now.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

That looks like a female to me........

but don't worry they lay eggs about 5cm down into sand and both the male and the female are required prior to that process. The eggs then have to be incubated at the right temperature as it is dependent on temperature.

Dave


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

I was a Merchant Navy Radio Officer back in the 60's & 70's.

In the Admiralty List of Radio Signals (Vol 1) was a section headed:

LOCUST REPORTS BY RADIO

Desert Locusts are capable of hundreds of miles of continuous flight over the sea and have been observed off NW coasts of Africa, Arabian Sea, Red Sea and so on.

The adult Desert Locust is about 2½" long with a wing-span of about 5", varying in colour from red to yellow according to its state of maturity.

Current reports of locusts in all infested countries are exchanged through the Desert Locust Info service provided by the Ant-Locust Research Centre in London which is sponsored by the UN FAO.

Mariners sighting locusts are asked to report by radio to TELEX24364 ANTILOCUST LONDON via PortisheadRadio.

Sadly, during my time at sea I was never required to send one of these messages!
It was just one of the oddities we had to know about.

Anyway, perhaps you should report your sighting to the appropriate authorities!


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

pippin said:


> I was a Merchant Navy Radio Officer back in the 60's & 70's.
> 
> In the Admiralty List of Radio Signals (Vol 1) was a section headed:
> 
> ...


Have you got a really good memory or are you sad enough to have ALRS vols 1-6 still on you bookshelf after all these years?!!

Kev (ex Mate)

By the way, it's still in the wheel, comes out every day to warm up in the sun then goes back in every night. Garden still intact.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Yes I do, 1971 editions!

My study is a recreation of a 60s/70s W/T Office.
Laid out correctly, porthole - full of working Marconi Marine gear.
Including echo-sounder & DF but sadly no radar!


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Majorca on the leg of the watch tower and with a fly on it's back


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

pippin said:


> Yes I do, 1971 editions!
> 
> My study is a recreation of a 60s/70s W/T Office.
> Laid out correctly, porthole - full of working Marconi Marine gear.
> Including echo-sounder & DF but sadly no radar!


Have you ever visited the Museum of Submarine Telegraphy at Porthcurno? Take a sleeping bag.


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

Update if you are interested... don't all yawn at once. 

It's been identified as an "Egyptian Grasshopper" by Cornwall Wildlife Trust, it's in the eyes apparently.

Only 3rd one ever in Cornwall, it seems they come in from time to time in fresh produce.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

For more pictures and an accurate description see;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacridium_aegyptium

Your third picture does show the stripe across the eye so that looks like a good identification.

Thanks for the info, not one I have seen before, interesting that the Wikipedia article refers to it as an "Egyptian locust", but it is a different genus from the migratory locust;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migratory_locust

there are many different insects which are referred to as "locusts";

American desert locust _Schistocerca americana_
Australian plague locust _Chortoicetes terminifera_
Bombay locust _Nomadacris succincta_
Brown locust_ Locustana pardalina_
Desert locust _Schistocerca gregaria_
*Egyptian locust *_Anacridium aegyptium_
Italian locust _Calliptamus italicus_
Moroccan locust _Dociostaurus maroccanus_
Red locust _Nomadacris septemfasciata_
Rocky Mountain locust _Melanoplus spretus _- extinct
Sahelian tree locust _Anacridium melanorhodon_
Spur-throated locust, _Australis procera_
Sudan plague locust _Aiolopus simulatrix_

Dave


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## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

A Locust in Ol' Blighty - that's just not cricket


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Makes one sick harder!


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