Locust habitats

The potential habitats of the Australian plague locust cover half of inland eastern Australia, an area of about two million square kilometres.  They are primarily open tussock grasslands on clay, loam or stone-mantled desert loam soils. Locust habitats include the Mitchell grass downs of western Queensland and the chenopod low open shrublands across southern Australia.  Habitats become suitable for locust breeding after rainfall, when soil moisture allows egg development and vegetation response provides food for subsequent survival of nymphs.

Landscapes which are generally unfavourable for locust breeding include forest, woodland, rocky hills, desert sandplain and dunefields.  The clearing of forest and woodland vegetation on clay and loam soils has expanded the area of potential habitat in the agricultural regions of southern and eastern Australia.

A map based on soil types and subdivided in areas where tree clearing has produced some areas of grassy vegetation, including pasture and agricultural landscapes, accounts for more than 80 per cent of all historical observations of high density locusts. 

The map below shows the geographical extent of potential habitat for Australian plague locust.  These landscapes are also the habitats of spur-throated and migratory locusts, particularly in the tropics.

Within the regions of potential habitat there are some areas which are subject to more frequent infestation.  Female Australian plague locusts typically lay their eggs in hard- packed soil along roads and tracks, in clay pans or in stony areas, such as those shown below.

 Stony Mitchell Downs, near Eromanga, Queensland