Three levels of variability in the collective behavior of locusts

Many aspects of collective behavior depend on interactions between conspecifics. This is especially true for the collective motion of locusts, which swarm in millions while maintaining synchrony among individuals. However, whether locusts share and maintain the same socio-behavioral patterns – between groups, individuals and situations – remains an open question. Studying marching locusts under lab conditions, we found that (1) different groups behave differently; (2) locusts within a group homogenize their behavior; and (3) individuals have different socio-behavioral tendencies and context-dependent states. These variability levels suggest that behavioral differences within and among individuals exist, affect others, and shape the collective behavior of the entire group.