How locusts form swarms - Serotonin


Locusts plague has become a mammoth problem for farmers in many parts of India, mostly in Western parts. Not only India, Africa, West Asia, Iran and some parts of Australia have also been combating with this destructive crisis for a long time. Food and Agriculture Organization - Rome (Italy), a body of UN, succours these affected nations by providing fund and advice. In India, LWO, Jodhpur manoeuvres this trouble.
Spraying pesticides to stem locusts swarms is not a efficient solution. In the past, it had been a primary aid. Formation of locusts spread in kilometers is the prominent cause of destruction. Nations need to look forward for an ultimate solution. To know, how locusts form swarms may be a initiative towards a lasting solution. This raises the important scientific question of how and why locusts collect together by the thousands in order to make a swarm. 

How and why locusts form swarms

According to insect biologists, locust is the recluse and singleton by the nature. But, they team up as an army of swarms as they begin flying for search of food.  Now, the paramount question is why a reclusive locust prefers company. What is mystery? What is biological mechanism behind this? 
Which substance triggers them to form an army?
Scientist Stephen Rogers - Cambridge University, UK - had tried to solve all these queries in his research papers. He showed that when solitary locusts happen to come near each other (by looking for food) and happen to touch each other, even in the little area of their back limbs, this tactile stimulation affects their couple of nerves and changes their behaviour to come together and make swarms. The little touch stimulates them to come together and create an army.
In his second paper, he depicted substantial changes in some molecules that modulate the central nerve system of the locusts. The most important among them is the releasing of Serotonin, a chemical which has wide variety of functions in the body. Serotonin affects social and mental behaviour of the locusts - leading to come together and form swarms. So, Serotonin is the main cause for formation of locusts swarms. Thus, a small looking insect changes to a wide group of locusts. 
Stephen Rogers also did an experiment to bear out his statements. He took a big container and put the locusts into it one by one. As the  numbers increased, the mechanical (touch) and neurochemical ( Serotonin) stimulated them to come together and form crowding within a hour. Interestingly, when he sprayed the Serotonin inhibitor (molecules- 5HT, or AMTP) which inhibits the production of Serotonin, suddenly the process of crowding become less. It proved the Serotonin as a booster which helps locusts to form an army.

An ultimate solution
                                                  
Now, there is a potential solution of crowding locusts to stop them from forming. Spraying Serotonin inhibitor molecules may be a solution to stem them when they start crowding. 
And the prevailing method of spraying pesticides to kill the locusts may have side effects on both plants and animals. Governments need to work for the bio-pesticides that are environment friendly.


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