Chortoicetes terminifera
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) is a species of locust in the family Acrididae native to Australia, where it is a significant agricultural pest. Adult Australian plague locusts range in size from 20 to 45 mm (0.79 to 1.77 in) in length, and the colour varies from brown to green. In profile, the head is higher than the thorax, and the thorax has an X-shaped mark. The legs have a reddish shank and the wings are clear other than for a dark spot on the periphery.
The locusts occur naturally in far northwestern New South Wales and the adjoining areas of Queensland and South Australia, as well as Western Australia. From these areas, the locusts can expand from time to time to be found in the agricultural areas of South Australia, New South Wales, including the Riverina, and Victoria. The locust can be found in a variety of grassland and open wooded habitats across the inland areas of the Australian mainland. Upper-level winds may occasionally carry locusts to coastal areas of the mainland and northern Tasmania and may establish populations in the eastern valleys of the Great Dividing Range; these populations usually fail to... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flinders Ranges National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Australian Plague Locust sighting in Perth on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 254th most-seen of the 275 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Australian Plague Locust in Perth on a given day, against under 5% in November to September, the lowest months. That is one of Perth's driest months, with about 30 mm of rain against 130 mm in July.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Australian Plague Locust sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Australian Plague Locust sightings, Perth ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Melbourne (Australia, under 5%).
Same family: Acrididae
The closest relatives of the Australian Plague Locust that you can see in Perth (family Acrididae, Short-horned Grasshoppers) are Giant Grasshopper (about 20%), Giant Green Slantface (about 10%) and Common Gumleaf Grasshopper (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Australian Plague Locust is recorded against all the insects logged in Perth (5 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
