When did LOCUSTS become known as "Cicadas"?

Question

Seventeen years ago, we had LOCUSTS. Now they are called Cicadas. Am I missing something? Aren't these the same thing?

Answer 1

Locusts are large African grasshoppers that will swarm and move in huge masses, eating everything in their path (plants, anyway). Cicadas are N. American insects that live underground as nymphs for some period of time (varies with the species) and emerge in the summer to buzz, mate, lay eggs and die. Some of the periodical cicadas come out in huge swarms. For some reason (probably related to the fact that 13- or 17-year periodical cicadas come out in such huge swarms) they are often called "locusts" (as in the biblical plague of locusts, I guess). They're not.

Answer 2

The very first time that I visited the south and heard the locusts, I asked someone what they were. They all responded the same way. Locusts. They could have been called Cicadas from the start, but the southern term for them has been locusts.

Answer 3

I have never heard of cicadas being called locusts or vice versa but then I don't live in the USA. There are many different species of cicada and many different species of locust but the insects are entirly different.

Answer 4

Only th 17 year locust is actually not a locust but a cicada. the other ones are anual locusts.

Answer 5

Cicadas are in the order Homoptera. The term "Locust" is a colloquialism that basically refers to grasshoppers. They belong to the order Orthoptera. So, they are different.

Answer 6

Locust is an old word. It usually refers to grasshoopers that swarm. Cicadas also swarm and the word is used sometimes to describe them.

Answer 7

Obviously a religion becomes mythology after it dies out. The form religion takes is largely dependent on the shape of society. E.g. the more centralised the political system is, the more structured and centralised religion will tend to be. Pre christian religion which has become largely mythology now, has been rooted out over a period of about 200 years by the RCC. They first grabbed the power and then started taking posession of the temples and their wealth. The process was finalised when in many bishopries in the 6th and 7th century heathens got the choice: get baptised or we confiscate everything you have in the name of god and our own purse. The jewel of the crown came when the pope presented himself to the king of the Franks with a few fake documents so called written by Constantine the Great and Saint Peter himself in which the pope was given whole Italy and western europe. Since he was a modest person (popes are always modest when they try to get something) he took only a large part of Italy. From then on people had to believe what their lords believed. Of course christianism, islam and hinduism are not eternal. They will be replaced by beliefs that fit better with society. One could say we already see several elements of new religion, while at the same time elements of the old religions are becoming mythology already. New elements: celebrities, the need for expensive items promising status, the two tier society (rich and poor) for which religion will find a justification. Old elements: X-mas, processions, many rituals.

Answer 8

cicadas are an entirely different insect. locusts are grasshoppers.

Answer 9

Please don't be confused! Both are entirely different insects. You can check out the internet these days for more photos on the respective species.