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Studying nature is a profoundly rewarding experience. With innumerable types of species, plethoras yet undiscovered, planet Earth has an infinitely complex array of life forms existing in the most extreme conditions imaginable. By understanding that in the vast microcosm of existence, all smaller systems are representative of a larger one. Adaptability is key to the survival of a species. Scientists are discovering that different types of stimulus trigger events at the genetic level can cause current generation evolutionary leaps.
Each successive generation is an improvement over the previous. With billions of years of constant growth and modifications, this data record is written in redundant and explicit detail in every living cell on the planet. In this series of articles, we are going to explore the curious relationship of the grasshopper and the locust.
The grasshopper is the Chinese symbol of good luck and abundance. It represents taking a chance by facing fears to act upon a vision or thought and jump right in. Those with locust or grasshopper energy do not overwhelm themselves by taking things one step at a time, rather they move quickly, trusting their own inner instincts to guide them before they leap. This symbolism is reflected in the fact that grasshoppers never jump backwards, only forward. When a grasshopper leaps into our life, it is believed to be a sign to do something extraordinary, often linked to a life change or expanded direction. The grasshopper moves to its own rhythm and tune, indicating this creature is an advocate of intuition and self-reflection that is in harmony with the world.
The grasshopper encourages us to listen to our innermost feelings, choosing those of us who are innovators, forward-thinkers, and those who progress in life by unorthodox methods. This is because grasshopper symbolism recognizes tremendous leaps of faith, impressive jumps in progress and consistent forward momentum. People who resonate and identify with this totem are likely to aim high, and achieve amazing feats, as they take great leaps where others fear to tread (or jump, in this case).
More often than not, most people associate locusts with the epic swarming as related in the Book of Exodus during the Eighth Plague of Egypt. Locusts are the swarming phase of certain species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. In the solitary phase these grasshoppers are innocuous, their numbers are low and they cause little economic threat to agriculture. However, under suitable conditions of drought followed by rapid vegetation growth, serotonin in their brains triggers a dramatic set of changes: they start to breed abundantly, becoming gregarious and nomadic (loosely described as migratory) when their populations become dense enough. They form bands of wingless nymphs which later become swarms of winged adults. Both the bands and the swarms move around and rapidly strip fields and cause damage to crops. The adults are powerful fliers; they can travel great distances, consuming most of the green vegetation wherever the swarm settles. (Wikipedia)
