Yellow-winged locust (Gastrimargus musicus)
Yellow-winged locust (Gastrimargus musicus) | |
---|---|
Yellow-winged locust | |
![]() | |
Taxonomy | |
Family: | Acrididae |
Subfamily: | Oedipodinae |
Genus: | Gastrimargus |
Additional resources | |
Full taxonomy at OSF |
The Yellow-winged locust (Gastrimargus musicus) is a locust belonging to the subfamily Oedipodinae, which can be easily identified by its distinctive bright yellow hindwings.[1] This locust is found in the coastal regions of mainland Australia, as well as Tasmania. The species prefers a “mosaic” habitat, which is composed of patches of grass and patches of bare soil.[2] Swarms occur as a result of high rainfall, and may be an infrequent pest of cultivated crops, home gardens, and pasture. Though damage is relatively local, destruction of these locations can be quite severe.[3] Yellow-winged locusts may, on occasion, be a significant pest of sugar cane.[2]
Nomenclature
Gastrimargus musicus (Fabricius, 1775). For full nomenclature, see this taxon's page on Orthoptera Species File
Identification

Identifiable by unique, bright yellow and black-banded hindwings and a loud “crackling” noise associated with flight. When examined by profile, the thorax has a visible central ridge, and both the head and thorax are raised slightly above the top line of the wings. This species lacks a throat peg. Yellow-winged locust nymphs and adults may be confused for the Migratory locust (L. migratoria) due to similar coloration and body shape. However, adult Migratory locusts lack yellow hindwings and loud flight sounds, and nymph Yellow-winged locusts do not have the hairy “chest” that Migratory locusts nymphs possess. Adults may also be confused with the Australian plague locust (C. terminifera) at a distance, but the Yellow-winged locust is shorter and stouter. [1]
Phase | Stage | Color | Wings | Legs |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gregarious | nymph | deep brown | wing buds, dark spot on top | banded |
Gregarious | mature adult | dark brown | several light marks when folded | orange or red tibia with light patch on top |
Solitarious | nymph | green or light brown | wing buds, dark spot on top | banded |
Solitarious | adult | green | darker profile than body, several light marks when folded | orange or red tibia with light patch on top |
Identification resources
Name | Year published | Resource link | Descriptive keyword | Language | Geographic purview | Author | Year published |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
APLC locust and grasshopper identification guide | View URL | Management, Species identification | English | Australia | Australian Plague Locust Commission | ||
Locusts of Australia | 2020 | View URL | Management, Species identification | English | Australia | Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries | 2020 |
Orthoptera Species File | View URL | Species identification, Biology | English | Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania | Orthoptera Species File Online |
Distribution
The Yellow-winged locust is known to occur throughout mainland Australia, as well as Tasmania. Populations are primarily located in the southeast of the country, but sightings have been recorded in coastal and subcoastal regions of the north and west as well.[2]
For more information and distribution records see [GBIF]
Biology
Phase | Developmental time |
---|---|
Eggs | 17 days |
Hopper | 40-50 days |
Adult maturation | 52-64 days |
Habitat and ecology
Yellow-winged locusts prefer coastal and subcoastal regions of Australia.[4] They may be found in both tropical and temperate climates, but display a preference for regions with high rainfall.[2] Both nymphs and adults consume a variety of native and nonnative grasses, and they are often found where these grasses are in high numbers.[4] These locusts prefer a heterogeneous habitat, containing tall grass for shelter, short grass to feed from, and patches of bare soil to lay eggs. Grazing and deforestation promote the creation of this sort of habitat, potentially increasing the yellow-winged locust population.[2]
In more temperate regions, there is only one generation of yellow-winged locusts per year. However, in more tropical regions, there may be two or three.[4] Eggs hatch rapidly when moist, but they may remain viable for up to ten months even in dry conditions.[2] Swarms are infrequent and spread more slowly than other species.[4]
Pest status
Damage by yellow-winged locust swarms is primarily local, with the destruction of home gardens and farms during periods of high annual rainfall which promote an increase in the species population.[3] The majority of destruction attributed to the yellow-winged locust occurs only occasionally, and only swarms of gregarious phase individuals appear to act as a significant pest. These locusts are known to attack sorghum, maize, monterey pine, rhodes grass, and cotton, and they are occasionally a major pest of sugar cane.[2] More recent outbreaks have led to destruction of pasture.[3]
Outbreak media coverage
No results found in the database at this time—please reach out if you have any to share!
Associated organizations
Organization name | Acronym | Website | Type | Focus | Focus keywords | Geographic purview |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New South Wales Department of Primary Industries | NSW DPI | View URL | Government | Education, Management | Monitoring, Control, Forecasting, Training, Natural sciences | Australia |
New South Wales Local Land Services | NSW LLS | View URL | Government | Management | Monitoring, Control, Natural sciences | Australia |
Resources
Name | Year published | Resource link | Descriptive keyword | Language | Geographic purview | Author | Year published |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CABI Green Muscle education videos | 2021 | View URL | Video, Biological control, Biopesticide, Metarhizium acridum, Storage, Dosage, Application, PPE and cleaning | Arabic, French, Russian, English | Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania | Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International | 2021 |
Sustainable use and conservation of microbial and invertebrate biological control agents and microbial biostimulants | 2023 | View URL | Management, Biological control, Biopesticide | English | Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania | Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International | 2023 |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Australian Government: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry "Locust and grasshopper identification guide." Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry site, https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/locusts/about/id-guide
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 COPR (1982) The Locust and Grasshopper Agricultural Manual. London: Overseas Pest Research. 445.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Le Gall M, Overson R, Cease A (2019) A Global Review on Locusts (Orthoptera: Acrididae) and Their Interactions With Livestock Grazing Practices. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00263
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Australian Government: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development "Yellow-winged locusts." Government of West Australia Agriculture and Food site, https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/pasture-management/yellow-winged-locusts