How Farmers Accidentally Killed Off North America's Locusts

The video explores the history and behavior of locusts, focusing on the Rocky Mountain Locust, which once swarmed across North America. It discusses how locusts transform from solitary grasshoppers into swarming pests and the sudden disappearance of the Rocky Mountain Locust in the 1880s. Various hypotheses are examined, including genetic factors and human-induced environmental changes. The video concludes by considering the ecological role of locusts and the impact of their extinction.

Describe the life cycle of locusts and how it differs from that of regular grasshoppers.

What factors contributed to the disappearance of the Rocky Mountain locust?

How did human activities in North America impact the Rocky Mountain locust populations?

What is the significance of the term 'meta population' in relation to the Rocky Mountain locust?

What ecological role might the Rocky Mountain locust have played before its extinction?