Swarms of locusts causing deadly plagues are usually thought of as the stuff of myths. However, the
desert locust Schistocerca gregaria has been responsible for damage to populations across three
continents. The desert locust does its damage by consuming its body weight in food each day, devouring
virtually any type of vegetation it encounters. When millions of locusts swarm into an area, their effect on
the food supply in that area and surrounding areas can be catastrophic. Fortunately, it takes a big,
sustained rainstorm (a rare event in desert areas) to create the conditions in which desert locusts thrive.
Question
The passage is primarily about
O the damage done by swarms of desert locusts
O the consumption behavior of the desert locust
O comparing real plagues to mythical ones
O protecting vulnerable areas from desert locusts