Red Locust vs Saharan Sand Grasshopper

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Red Locust Saharan Sand Grasshopper
Scientific Name Nomadacris septemfasciata Sphingonotus octofasciatus
Order Orthoptera Orthoptera
Family Acrididae Acrididae
Size 50-70 mm 22-32 mm
Habitat Grasslands Deserts & Drylands
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Southern Africa, Central Africa, East Africa Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Red Locust

A large brown and red locust that swarms periodically from outbreak areas in Central and Southern Africa. It has distinctive red hindwings visible in flight.

💡

Did You Know?

The International Red Locust Control Organization was created specifically to monitor and prevent outbreaks of this species.

Saharan Sand Grasshopper

A pale sandy grasshopper well adapted to life on Saharan sand dunes. It has elongated hind legs for powerful jumps across loose sand.

💡

Did You Know?

Its color matches the local sand so precisely that different populations on different colored dunes look visibly different.