Australian Plague Locust

Australian Plague Locust

Chortoicetes terminifera

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
at Flinders Ranges National Park

In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%

12 Verified sightings at Flinders Ranges National Park From 2019 to 2026
30 In all 3 parks
October Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Australian Plague Locust

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 →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~30%
2 Hattah-Kulkyne National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
3 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Melbourne 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
2 Perth 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Australian Plague Locust in Flinders Ranges National Park?

Possible

About 30% of wildlife watchers report an Australian Plague Locust sighting in Flinders Ranges National Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 7th most-seen of the 25 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Australian Plague Locust in Flinders Ranges National Park?

June and October

In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report an Australian Plague Locust in Flinders Ranges National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July and December–March, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an Australian Plague Locust?

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.

Is Flinders Ranges National Park the best place to see an Australian Plague Locust?

Yes

Of the 3 parks where we can rate Australian Plague Locust sightings, Flinders Ranges National Park has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (Australia, about 10%) and Grampians National Park (Australia, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Australian Plague Locust live in Flinders Ranges National Park?

Same family: Acrididae

The closest relatives of the Australian Plague Locust that you can see in Flinders Ranges National Park (family Acrididae, Short-horned Grasshoppers) are Bark-Mimicking Grasshopper (about 20%), Common Urnisa (about 20%) and Common Gumleaf Grasshopper (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Australian Plague Locust sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Australian Plague Locust is recorded against all the insects logged in Flinders Ranges National Park (12 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.

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