The Wrong Place At The Wrong Time

Here we have a female Migratory Locust, Locusta migratoria Linnaeus, in a most unfortunate circumstance.

Migratory Locust, Locusta migratoria Linnaeus, female

Migratory Locusts fly at night, often great distances. Their movements have been tracked in the past by the Plague Locust Commission, http://www.agriculture.gov.au/pests-diseases-weeds/locusts/role. The Plague Locusts are often distracted in their nocturnal movements by strong lights. Petrol Stations, cafés, shopping centres often have numbers of these and other grasshoppers and locusts around their lights. During plagues, the numbers can be considerable and attract public concern.

We had our night lights in operation the other night near Koah, Queensland and this female dropped in. She settled down in precisely the wrong place. She was set upon by a Badge Spider, Heteropodidae, probably Neoparassus sp.

The spider will spend several hours sucking and masticating the locust until it is satisfied.