Locust vs. Swarm — What's the Difference?

Locusts (derived from the Vulgar Latin locusta, meaning grasshopper) are a group of certain species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae that have a swarming phase. These insects are usually solitary, but under certain circumstances they become more abundant and change their behaviour and habits, becoming gregarious.

A large number of insects or other small organisms, especially when in motion.

Any of various short-horned grasshoppers that sometimes migrate in immense swarms, devouring vegetation and crops.

A group of bees, social wasps, or ants, when migrating with a queen to establish a new colony.

A cicada, especially a periodical cicada.

An aggregation of persons or animals, especially when in turmoil or moving in mass

Any of several trees of the pea family bearing long pods, especially the black locust, honey locust, and carob.

A number of similar geologic phenomena or features occurring closely within a given period or place

The wood of any of these trees.

To move or emerge in a swarm.

Any of the grasshoppers, often polyphenic and usually swarming, in the family Acrididae that are very destructive to crops and other vegetation, especially the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria).

To leave a hive as a swarm. Used of bees.

A fruit or pod of the carob tree.

To move or gather in large numbers

Any of various often leguminous trees and shrubs, especially of the genera Robinia and Gleditsia; the locust tree.

To be overrun; teem

A cicada.

A large number of insects, especially when in motion or (for bees) migrating to a new colony.

A Mainlander.

A mass of people, animals or things in motion or turmoil.

(intransitive) To come in a swarm.

(computing) A group of nodes sharing the same torrent in a BitTorrent network.

Any one of numerous species of long-winged, migratory, orthopterous insects, of the family Acrididæ, allied to the grasshoppers; esp., (Edipoda migratoria, syn. Pachytylus migratoria, and Acridium perigrinum, of Southern Europe, Asia, and Africa. In the United States the related species with similar habits are usually called grasshoppers. See Grasshopper.

(intransitive) To move as a swarm.

The locust tree. See Locust Tree (definition, note, and phrases).

(intransitive) To teem, or be overrun with insects, people, etc.

Migratory grasshoppers of warm regions having short antennae

(transitive) To fill a place as a swarm.

Hardwood from any of various locust trees

(transitive) To overwhelm as by an opposing army.

Any of various hard-wooded trees of the family Leguminosae

To climb by gripping with arms and legs alternately.

To breed multitudes.

To climb a tree, pole, or the like, by embracing it with the arms and legs alternately. See Shin.

To collect, and depart from a hive by flight in a body; - said of bees; as, bees swarm in warm, clear days in summer.

To appear or collect in a crowd; to throng together; to congregate in a multitude.

To be crowded; to be thronged with a multitude of beings in motion.

To abound; to be filled (with).

To breed multitudes.

To crowd or throng.

A large number or mass of small animals or insects, especially when in motion.

Especially, a great number of honeybees which emigrate from a hive at once, and seek new lodgings under the direction of a queen; a like body of bees settled permanently in a hive.

Hence, any great number or multitude, as of people in motion, or sometimes of inanimate objects; as, a swarm of meteorites.

A moving crowd

A group of many insects;

Be teeming, be abuzz;

Move in large numbers;