A new study has found that locusts have an innate sociability that drives them to engage in social interactions, which in turn leads to their famous tendency to form huge swarms. The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, provides insight into how locusts come together to form swarms that can cause significant damage to crops.

In the study, researchers from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom observed the sociability of locusts in both laboratory and natural settings. The team found that when locusts interacted, they performed a special type of social behavior called “aggregation”, in which the insects move together in large groups. This behavior is thought to be an important factor in the formation of locust swarms. The researchers also found that locusts had a strong preference for being in close proximity to other locusts, which further fueled their tendency to aggregate.

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source: Phys.org