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How to tell the difference between a male and female locust
Adult male and female locusts are readily distinguished by the shape of the tip of the abdomen:
Male - tip of abdomen smooth and rounded
Female - tip of abdomen jagged
The end of the abdomen of the male locust is rounded due to the sub-genital plate which conceals the reproductive organs (in some species of grasshopper this sub-genital plate may be more pointed in shape). The end of the abdomen of the female locust is jagged due to the upper and lower jaws of the ovipositor.
On average, adult male locusts are smaller and more slender than adult females of the same species. However, size is not a reliable character to use to determine the sex of a locust as it varies according to the quality and abundance of food received during the nymphal stage. Otherwise, males and females are very similar in markings and colouration.