Cicadas and locusts are very different. Perhaps the only similarities between them are their swarming behaviors and the fact that they are both insects. So, what are the differences between cicadas and locusts?
While both cicadas and locusts belong to the same class – Insecta – their orders differ. While cicadas belong to the Hemiptera order, locusts belong to the Orthoptera order.
The reproduction process of cicadas is a bit more complex than that of locusts. Cicadas undergo incomplete metamorphosis. Locusts mate then lay their eggs in the soil.
While both insects are herbivorous, their diets differ. Cicadas have mouthparts adapted for sucking juices from plants. Locusts, on the other hand, eat leaves and other soft plant tissues.
Annual cicadas have a worldwide geographic range. But the periodical cicadas are restricted to North America. Locusts are found in northern, western, and eastern Africa. They are also found in the Middle East, southern Asia, and some parts of central Africa.