Just add water: The garden insect that can turn into a plague - Jeffrey A. Lockwood

Discover what causes desert locusts to transform into crop-consuming plagues and how they directly endanger humanity.
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A ravenous swarm stretches as far as the eye can see. It has no leader or strategic plan; its only goals are to eat, breed, and move on. These are desert locusts- infamous for their capacity for destruction. But most of the time desert locusts are no more dangerous than grasshoppers. So what does it take to turn these harmless insects into a crop-consuming plague? Jeffrey A. Lockwood investigates.
Lesson by Jeffrey A. Lockwood, directed by Franz Palomares.
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Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Tyron Jung, Carolyn Corwin, Carsten Tobehn, Katie Dean, Ezgi Yersu, Gerald Onyango, alessandra tasso, Côme Vincent, Doreen Reynolds-Consolati, Manognya Chakrapani, Ayala Ron, Samantha Chow, Eunsun Kim, Phyllis Dubrow, Ophelia Gibson Best, Paul Schneider, Joichiro Yamada, Henrique Cassús, Lyn-z Schulte, Elaine Fitzpatrick, Karthik Cherala, Clarence E. Harper Jr., Vignan Velivela, Ana Maria, Exal Enrique Cisneros Tuch, Tejas Dc, Khalifa Alhulail, Martin Stephen, Dan Paterniti, Jose Henrique Leopoldo e Silva, Elnathan Joshua Bangayan, Jayant Sahewal, Mandeep Singh, Abhijit Kiran Valluri, Kris Siverhus, Devin Harris, Pavel Zalevskiy, Karen Goepen-Wee, Filip Dabrowski, Barbara Smalley, Megan Douglas, Tim Leistikow, Ka-Hei Law, Hiroshi Uchiyama, Mark Morris, Misaki Sato, EdoKun, Boytsov Ilya, SookKwan Loong and Bev Millar.

[@basemmostafa3307]

When I was a 6-year-old kid, I remember that there was a locust plague where I live. Everybody just locked their doors and windows and waited until they were gone. We live in the capital, so there's no nearby farm or any plants really, but they were just passing by. It took probably a couple of hours. However, the experience was traumatic, to say the least. The noises they made, and how they kept bumping the closed windows. They're harmless to humans, but it still wasn't a very pleasant experience

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Sorry to hear about that.

[@oreothecat2460]

Omg same I was visiting my grandparents in the village and me and my cousins were baking a cake and when we were serving the cake a whole freaking swarm of these things flew over us.My cousin even decapitated a dead one.

[@dronetheworld4k67]

In Egypt right ??

[@basemmostafa3307]

@@dronetheworld4k67 Yep, Cairo 2004

[@bonebreakingmarathon6550]

@@dronetheworld4k67 When we once go to Egypt school trip to learn about historys we once got hit by waves of desert locust, The invasion last 3 hour, Screw you teacher you locked me outside of the bus.

[@TheVirtualArena24]

"A typical swarm contains more locusts than there are humans on the planet" Ants : cool

[@BigattckFirecat]

Ants: a worthy opponent, our battle will be legendary!

[@hanhan9123]

There are at least 1 million ants for every human

[@sotl7749]

@@BigattckFirecat wait, isn't there a movie where ants are being oppressed by grasshoppers xD

[@olivermarsudi9984]

@@sotl7749 A Bug's Life... childhood movie

[@xdk362]

Bullet ants, army ants, fire ants, argentine ants, weaver ants: you dare challenge me mortal?!

[@PercyNPC]

In Thailand, we eat it. It's almost go extinction. When I was kid, it's all over my rice farm. Today it's very rare to see any of locust. If you don't mind to eating bugs, this bugs give you high protein. Salt + soy sauce + pepper and fry it.

[@Rando_Shyte]

That sounds tasty! What a great way to stop a swarm just eat them all lol. We should use this practice for the super rich too

[@neonlight1214]

🤢

[@ethankoh6851]

Modern problems require ... Solutions

[@neonlight1214]

@@amberthefirst3579 ?

[@JugglerBlend]

Protein ++

[@shinyagumon7015]

You don't become a biblical plague for nothing.

[@neetaspirant7044]

◖⚆ᴥ⚆◗

[@DanksterPaws]

Until theres nothing left of green!

[@biomuseum6645]

But the Old Testament isn’t that special either

[@samuraiboi2735]

Well unless you want the other plagues to go against you

[@saind4170]

God will exert his vengeance upon the ungodly sycophants for their malfeasances! Heed the patience of the Saints!

[@ZOCCOK]

Like the ancient proverb says: "When the Locusts start clumping, it's time to start running."

[@thegamingpuppet8381]

When the Locusts start clumping,start running

[@funveeable]

You know what also causes locust swarms? A bunch of communists killing sparrows and without the sparrows to eat the grasshoppers, they become locusts.

[@Ninjaananas]

@@funveeable And that's why these sparrows need guns.

[@putthemoneyinthebag7931]

Sun tzu said that

[@iammedusa2734]

Or we could just eat them

[@paemonyes8299]

I really like the animation in this one, they look like paper cutouts

[@konohamaru8497]

They must put lots of work for this vid animation

[@legendsaysrtzisstillfarmin7021]

Around 10 yrs back, there was a warning on locust invasion in our region. When the time came, we literally ate them all. There were people camping out around the street lamps at night with jars/containers catching them, as they are considered a delicacy for us. Can't wait for the next swarm. #proud to be a naga 😂

[@Delnyque]

I knew it! The must be tasty!!

[@epilepsy1179]

Does it taste good?

[@CEOofNothingness]

What about the taste?

[@akmalrafiaa4772]

Where I come from we eat grasshoppers, but what about locusts? I've never seen a locust before (at least I think so)

[@legendsaysrtzisstillfarmin7021]

First, we pluck the wings out and usually deep fry them. They are crunchy and the taste is obviously good, coz we won't be bothering to catch them if theyr not

[@DeAngeloYouKnow]

I remember one day at football practice a locus swarm flew through our practice. My coach was a ex-army ranger, and pulled me down to the ground and put my face in the grass like we was at war. Lol good times good times.

[@demonic77_77]

Can we just wait a while and appreciate the animation? It's just mesmerizing !! Hats off to you guys ❤️❤️

[@demonic77_77]

@Hugo Junqueira Wow really?! That's super cool. You're a great animator !!

[@DanksterPaws]

(The plagues lyrics from the Prince of Egypt) “I sent a hail of burning ice on every FIELD on every town!” was followed by “I sent the locusts on a wind, such as the world has never seen, on every leaf on every stalk, until there’s nothing left of green!” It appears the Bible has one of the earliest recorded cases (the plagues probably exaggerated) of ecological disturbance.

[@SCP--fj2jr]

*It's kinda amazing how much information we can uncover from the past, yet not know the whole thing.* *But still, pretty cool having one of the world's oldest religious texts available to anybody.*

[@catdogmousecheese]

Prince of Egypt is an incredibly underrated movie, go see it if you haven't already. Amazing music, gorgeous animation, and for a Christian movie it doesn't feel preachy or pretentious.

[@ipiinsih3655]

waiting for someone to say its all a fairytale

[@vitabricksnailslime8273]

It's no exaggeration. I've seen the football field which was opposite my home eaten down to roots in the space of a few hours.

[@sureindubitably3771]

@@catdogmousecheese yea its just Moses and how they got out from Egypt

[@primeroforjesus]

Damn, this makes me uncomfortable. Insect fear acting up. That's how good the animation is

[@primeroforjesus]

@@smeggiamagarwinewait till I bring the jojos to come get you. Orewa stando ni za warudo.

[@sureindubitably3771]

@@smeggiamagarwine dude some people are afraid of bugs don't bully peeps

[@samsunguser3148]

@@primeroforjesus hory shet, a jojo reference

[@zhankazest]

@@smeggiamagarwine you're definitely a troll

[@sureindubitably3771]

@@smeggiamagarwine ah, nvm you were just joking. you are free to r/woooosh me

[@tibodeclercq2131]

The interesting thing is, our ancestor 65 million years ago was a mouse-sized creature that ate bugs. We wouldn't be here without bugs.

[@mohannadaiad]

I am from Iraq and was in the past a devastating plaque, not anymore since the fifties, but before and my grandfather say, when the locust swarm hits they hunt it and fry or grill the locust as a food source and it was quite delicious.

[@juandelacruize]

This episode is biblical

[@saind4170]

There is nothing Godley about this bs channel but to sow discourse!

[@ZOCCOK]

@@saind4170 stop this blasphemy! I, inquistor Mordus Corniche of the imperium of man commands you to stop spreading this blasphemy at this instant or to suffer wrath of the Emperor!

[@saind4170]

@@ZOCCOK you name on tube is blasphemy. More ungodly fork tongue bs. Your words are hollow unless in satire, well then cheers...

[@robiwhy4727]

"Forming clouds, their shadow shrouds Louder the tattered wings they sound Descending down Down they come, the swarm of locusts Skies above converge to choke us Feast of souls consume the harvest Young and old, suffer unto the locust"

[@jochembraad1760]

Machine Head - Locust for anyone wondering. It's a metal track

[@scadz_]

Sick album btw

[@oscarjohansson5103]

Here in Sweden, the most CO2 comes from asfalt and turf. 25% of all turf lacks water in the soil, and emits about the same amount of carbon as all cars in Sweden.

[@nerdlingeeksly5192]

Just flood the environment with Invasive species to deal with the locusts, then flood the environment with other species to deal with the previous ones; it'll work itself out.

[@myouniverse0613]

Lmaooo like a never ending chain of misery

[@andrewbeneche6319]

If you swallow a housefly 😂😂

[@IO-hh3gw]

A mistake can never be corrected by another mistake.

[@marcell_forchannel3985]

Isn't that the Australian way ? I heard they did it with something but it got very bad

[@annexamv2776]

@@marcell_forchannel3985 yes now it's mostly desert, lol!

[@almed23]

ready your flame thrower bois, we're going bug tornado hunting.

[@Mr-Ad-196]

Don't forget our melee weapon.......the electric fly swatter except we need to upgrade it with more voltage and bigger size.

[@brawmankerlexterminateurde860]

A hunter must hunt even if it's not a dream but yeah I will join in

[@15743_Hertz]

I wonder if that would create a fire tornado?

[@SnoopyDoofie]

Need to bio-engineer a bug that eats swarms of locusts and then after they're done eating, they eat themselves.

[@ElBandito]

Except when the bug mutates and eat all our honeybees.

[@NirvanaFan5000]

interestingly, we already have one: Locusts! they want to stay close, but if they get too close, they eat eachother... My idea is to spray swarms or between crops with an agriculture-friendly sticky substance, like molasses or hagfish slime. it'll slow down their movement enough that they can start to eat eachother, letting us turn the problem (voracious appetite) into part of the solution.

[@danielstory2761]

@@NirvanaFan5000 nah there's a better idea, locust kebabs. Put up an industrial size smell-attracting locust catcher. Periodically fill the chamber with boiled water that kills the million in the room. Adjuectent factory cleans them off, rolls them flour, coriander seeds, garlic and chilli powder and then instantly freezes them after deep frying them. Cover it in chocolate and Americans will consume your entire supply.

[@agustina8484]

You can eat locusts, they are very delicious, and have ALOTS OF Proteins, specially because of thier diet too and most of them exists in poor countries where there are no food. You can feed them locusts.

[@nosuchthing8]

Ok, but people's crops are ruined

[@enlongjones2394]

@@nosuchthing8 I would assume that harvesting locusts would do something to bring the overall population down, leading to fewer locusts and swarms thereof?

[@mohammadzafar8193]

@@nosuchthing8 the crops are eaten by locust so eat the locust and it's nutritional value is much higher than that of wheat 🌾 rice 🍚 and corn 🌽 which only contains carbs and some other nutrients in very small quantity

[@brawmankerlexterminateurde860]

That won't do nothing The locust will still continue live on and be invasive like every life form on the earth

[@raisofahri5797]

You know we use insecticide to combat them so eating it is really not good idea

[@林義軒-j7q]

Why I feel so relatable for the first few second, the only difference is that I’m a lonely college student

[@yoursubconscious]

separate message from another - I will always remember my librarian teacher showing, what was at the time, "The latest from National Geographic's" tape (possibility the "first of its kind DVD's") about "Locust Swarms" and how the swarms are hurting crops and the rest of the jazz. That was in 1993 or so. I think we are fine. I could be wrong, but until then, I think we will survive just fine.

[@georgeuferov1497]

Locusts: eat all the food People: *pull out uno reverse card with malicious intent and also cooking oil*

[@7_y1ar]

I like how humans show a uno reverse card and start eating them

[@vido7027]

Zombies in movies should take notes from locust plagues, it would make them much more terrifying.

[@dr.nosborn6330]

It's so destructive yet fascinating. Like if chickens would become their meat eating cousins and go into a swarm rampage.

[@ZevVeli]

Chickens are already meat eaters. The school I used to work at had chickens and they had to isolate one of them because she got injured and the rest of the flock kept trying to eat her.

[@aryasadi5085]

"only goals are to : eat , breed and move on" Soooo, like humans?

[@RegisteredHuman-pk3ed]

As someone with a huge phobia of grasshoppers, this seems like a nightmare 😬 Thank God I live near the Amazon basin 😥

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

My grandpa cooks locusts during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. I had a chance to eat some when I was a kid in the '80s and quite tasty, I may dare say.

[@vectorx4449]

In India I saw them as a small cloud a few months back.

[@hohunch0]

Anyone who's read the bone series: "OH dear god"

[@bingeeater6430]

May I know the name of the first book?

[@sureindubitably3771]

And Exodus, don't forget about Exodus

[@hohunch0]

@@bingeeater6430 BONE into the valley I think, it's pretty old

[@GraveUypo]

you eat the bugs, i'll just keep eating what i eat.

[@RossMalagarie]

So if the locust run into a field of different plants it will slow/stop them? Ok that doesn't make sense. The video said we have a field of the same produce and if we would have different produce in the same field that would help with the locust? That makes no sense. Oh no a pumpkin AND a squash what will we do? Maybe eat both at full speed? 🙄

[@RossMalagarie]

@ansh wadhawan ok thanks

[@Brydav_Massbear]

I did not know that locust change color. But then again, it is a very good warning sign. Not because they are toxic, but because they are mad.

[@cagracar4316]

this channel must be appreciated,contents are such enjoyable and improving my vocabulary.İ have been learned considerable counts of new words thanks to KZbin channels like this.

[@isleepinaboxi1077]

This video really bugs me! 😏

[@MurakumoVance]

The quote "Kill it with fire before it lays eggs" comes to mind...

[@pierrecurie]

EXTERMINATUS

[@adriandapat1206]

@@pierrecurie The God-Emperor Protects...

[@wanjeon-nae-style]

not the yt algorithm recommending this to me 1 min after it was posted

[@professordreamer8479]

TED-ED can you do a History On Trial of Margaret Thatcher.

[@dexter9132]

The opeing quote speaks so much about the whats happening in covid waves

[@boulderbash19700209]

The experience of the US with locusts says that the effective strategy to deal with locusts is not with whatever is proposed in the end of this video, instead Americans (unknowingly) destroyed locusts breeding grounds by plowed it all over their country to setup farms. Apparently, the machinary they used gouged the earth deep enough to expose locusts eggs to predators.

[@PhoenlxA]

The industry should step in and turn them into food or at least protein powder for domestic animals.

[@WaterspoutsOfTheDeep]

Ok so you catch them? They need to be processed extremely fast or they rot. It's not practical.

[@PhoenlxA]

@@WaterspoutsOfTheDeep if we start to use them as a ressource, they will gain a pricetag. then there will be enough people collecting them and even people farming them for constant supply. practical or not depens on the technology. without that nothing is easy. that is why I am calling for the industry, because they have the access and developement for such technology

[@taptapuyo2714]

Corona is so devastating. Locusts: hold my feelers

[@sureindubitably3771]

Rats: back at cha'

[@veljkogalovic1050]

In the Holy Bible there is a part that says that before Christ's return there will be a big locust invasion and a lot of people will suffer but death will avoid them.

[@yoursubconscious]

My ears really liked these sound effects. 🎧

[@RandomizerUploader]

Catch as many as you can and fries it, thats one good locust 👍

[@ROYLETV-animators-supercell]

i hope this channel makes a video about 4d i am waiting for that since many years

[@mysmileisgone]

I once drove through a small swarm in saudi arabia and let me tell u it was not a good experience

[@WithDaBoiz]

There hasn't been one for two years if memory serves

[@gochadc]

can you eat this kind of locust? considering the changes in diet they might contain toxic levels of alcaloids as the video said.

[@gochadc]

Now that I think about it, it could be dangerous because of the chemical insecticides they might have.

[@xiulanyang3835]

For school, I have to think of why we should not be mad at locusts. That will be hard

[@frameready2433]

That is something I've been asking for years: can't we just harvest the locusts for protein?

[@nalat1suket4nk0]

In 1916 there was a swarm of locusts in lebanon which led (with other things) to a famine

[@sujalmaharjan911]

I had seen this but it wasnt a lot and crows were having a feast lol

[@szymonidesomco4974]

It's high quality!

[@_Longwinded]

I’m from the affected area by locusts! When they attack, it looks like Hollywood movie! And a nightmare for farmers. Only thing we could do to get rid of them was thumping drums, and making large noise to get rid of them. They are devils especially when they attack in dry season.

[@itismethatguy]

Same but they dont come to Karachi that often, ive seen them outside the area

[@simpleidea2825]

I am wondering who research on such things.. wonderful..

[@jaclynpavlica69]

I freaking love TEDEd. I especially appreciate the detailed explanations with the rather talented artists who come together to make such an interesting teach. Thanks guys 🙏🏼👍🏼🎉😎

[@Chase_baker_1996]

So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, and they shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land. And they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree of yours that grows in the field, and they shall fill your houses and the houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day.’” Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh. Exodus 10:3‭-‬6 ESV

[@alparslankorkmaz2964]

Nice video.

[@osman9750]

We need the Doom guy to get rid of the locusts.

[@shaanp9796]

good narration

[@mutecommercials]

No eating bugs, I don’t want cricket flour.

[@wpsean_ts7131]

As always, amazing with your animations

[@emilyzhang112]

I said: "I hate locusts. Why am I watching this?" and proceeded to click and watch anyway

[@mikeall7012]

How does every video eventually turn into a lecture about climate change and/or human consumption?

[@hanzo9941]

We SHOULD not eat bugs.

[@RAMBO14001]

Said a person named Pepper xD

[@men_del12]

"Let us know that when a single comes, there could be the rest arrive soon." ~Some random quotes~

[@pallepuaruna6970]

Hey Ted lv from uganda

[@fitnesswithsteve]

What is the name of this narrator? I really like his voice in all the videos he’s in.

[@1.4142]

I'm going to have a hard time sleeping knowing that they can cross the ocean.

[@Jorge_Jones]

Just make yourself a mosquito net, out of steel!

[@pinkubyt]

I think it was 2019? but there was an immense swarm of locusts that swept through Las Vegas, Nevada. It was horrifying x_x

[@sagielevy]

I loved the StarCraft reference: "The metamorphosis is complete"

[@itismethatguy]

Is everything a reference now

[@GreatNishanka]

Cluster of absolute destruction

[@VIJAYn369]

One of the ten plagues of Moses

[@JASB_Studios]

Title: Just add water Me: Hey Ferb, I know what we're gonna do today

[@ChaseTSY]

Ayeee more pog knowledge from ted ed!

[@maxhill9254]

thx

[@fordva1002]

Locusts: turns into a swarn and eat a lot of farms and crops Me: say hello to the FLAMETHROWER

[@jacobplaya8917]

Whenever I see locusts, I remember that movie where swarms of locusts eat human skin and they killed humans by swarming them and eating them alive. Now, I know that locusts are typically harmless to humans, but that movie made me scared of locusts.

[@srinivasanr5157]

Happy Diwali to all ❣️🎉💥

[@Jack5628]

Return the slab!!!

[@Papa-ur3ju]

I think east punjab act to tackle the locusts , where ever man has to beat drum is interesting solution

[@JericDacara]

Don't cook it immediately when you catch it, it stilll has some gaminess in it. Instead, i recommend to dry it under the sun for two days then deep fry it with salt and pepper, you can even add some chilli flakes. Taste like chicken, crunchy, best with rice.

[@Thesquirtlegamer]

No one going to mention them making a raft? Now people can Hate Christopher Columbus and Locusts!

[@thecount1374]

if you have locusts always have mantises on hand

[@Shatterverse]

Don't you hate it when the -xenomorphs- -tyranids- -zerg- locusts show up.

[@IELTSExpert1]

thank a lot

[@ImadMahdi]

Hans! bring the flammenwerfer!

[@distraughthogrider7969]

Could you guys make an animation on how welding works?

[@samarthsingh6210]

What if we use ducks to eat or at least drive off the insects??

[@someonehungarian9002]

Introducing a new species to an ecosystem will either result with the ecosystem being severely weakened or the ecosystem completely shattering.

[@samarthsingh6210]

@@someonehungarian9002 Can’t we consider the locusts themselves as invasive since they were not supposed to be there in the first place?

[@someonehungarian9002]

@@samarthsingh6210 yes but the animals there have alredy realised what locust swarms are. It's like how you know what to do when an earthquake happens but if you get someone who never experienced or seen an earthquake and bring them to an earthquake they'll pray for their life.

[@bl1t7theprotogenhybrid72]

locust swarm maybe strong but they are no match for the flame

[@YouAndImpact]

Great video 👍

[@aydenross7605]

Mans really went full WHO on us at the end “ we need to cut our carbon which isn’t connected to locusts but connected to food, and then we can just eat the bugs yaaaaaaaa”

[@fionaredfern7519]

Did anyone try glass greenhouses or something?

[@01.abdelrafealem14]

Please, added subtitles Indonesia language on your videos, because Im from Indonesia and i love your channel Thanks

[@hamentaschen]

"I'm gonna go get the papers, get the papers."

[@Jorge_Jones]

Hey, Tommy two times!

[@Station_Master_13]

Is there any link to flint lockwood?

[@joshuabaughn3734]

Locusts are in the Bible. The Lord sent Locusts to devour the crops of the Egyptians. They were already only surviving on wine and alcohol due to the water 💧 turning to blood🩸, so now they would be starved, covered in painful boils, pelted by hail fireballs, bitten by flys, their food eaten by gnats, plunged into darkness, kept awake by the sounds of creaking frogs and the smell of dead livestock and then their firstborn sons were killed! It took all this for Pharaoh to let the Israelites go.

[@saynotop2w]

I guess fencing the parameters off hasn’t worked out

[@minr.3594]

Wow