Why a depressed locust is a good thing... for us
Updated on 29 January 2009
Scientists discover it's all about mood. A depressed locust hides alone. But make them happy - and you've got a plague on your hands.
One locust is no trouble. But when they get together in destructive swarms, they turn into one of the world's most destructive pest - ravaging crops and affecting millions of livelihoods.
Now scientists say they've discovered just why the insects gather in such numbers. And it's all about their mood.
Experts from Oxford and Cambridge, led by a professor from Sydney University, say the feel good chemical serotonin is responsible, turning locusts from shy loners into gregarious crowd seekers.
So is there an antidote?
