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Glite Dictionary
Locusta migratoria

Locusta migratoria

9.1
A large grasshopper that forms huge swarms and eats crops
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Langosta migratoria
  • The rapid movement of Locusta migratoria swarms can strip farmlands of all vegetation in days.

Examples

  • Scientists are studying Locusta migratoria to understand what triggers its swarming behavior.

  • Locusta migratoria is responsible for some of the world's most devastating agricultural plagues.

  • Look at the Locusta migratoria!

  • The Locusta migratoria is fascinating.

  • The Locusta migratoria can destroy crops in a matter of days when it forms large swarms.

  • Farmers often fear an invasion of Locusta migratoria due to its ability to devastate fields.

  • Each year, millions of Locusta migratoria appear during the migration season, causing widespread concern among agricultural communities.

Synonyms

migratory locust
vsLocusta migratoria
  • UK
6.9

A large grasshopper that moves in swarms and eats crops

is the formal scientific name rather than the common everyday term

Surface Forms

Locusta migratoria singular
Locusta migratorias plural

Morphology

Locusta + migratoria

This is a Latin binomial for the migratory locust; the specific epithet 'migratoria' is etymologically related to English 'migratory', so a learner who recognizes that root could infer the meaning as a migrating locust. However, because it is a Latinized scientific name and one constituent is not a standard English word, the relation is only partially obvious to a B1 learner and not fully predictable without some morphological or lexical knowledge.

Etymology

Locusta migratoria is a scientific name from Latin: locusta meant 'locust' and migratoria meant 'migrating' or 'moving from place to place'. The name paints the image of a roaming insect that travels in huge swarms and strips crops, which is exactly what this species does.