Jeffrey Lockwood’s Locust (Basic Books, £8.99/$14.95) describes how the insects regularly turned noon to night over the rich farmlands of the northern US in the 19th century. Farmers despaired as their crops were stripped. Then suddenly the locusts disappeared. Lockwood, an entomologist, wondered why. His search took him from eyewitness accounts to the melting glaciers in the Rockies. His quest is captivating – and yes, he found out what had happened to the swarms. He also found a living locust.
Life
Lucust by Jeffrey Lockwood
31 August 2005
