Locust nymphs can be observed in late September and October with adults appearing in November and December. Usually, there is either a high mortality of the first generation of hoppers and adults before they can reproduce, or if egg laying does occur, there is a high mortality of eggs and hoppers of the second generation in January and February. Conversely, Iif, however, there is summer rainfall resulting in the availability of green feed, the locusts can complete two generations producing large numbers of eggs, which may lead to very high locust numbers the following spring. The Australian plague locust is a rangeland species and prefers to feed on green pastures and pastures that are drying off. If pastures have completely dried off, alternatives they will eat include crops, horticultural and viticultural plantings, young trees, domestic gardens and lawns sporting grounds and other public and private facilities.
Crops are most susceptible at the seedling stage and when maturing and beginning to dry off.
Established green crops tend to be avoided by immature locusts, although the edges of crops can be damaged. In most years, crops have completely dried off before the locusts can cause significant damage. If there is a second, summer generation, summer pastures and forage crops can be damaged. There are a number of natural enemies of the Australian plague locust, such as birds, spiders and wasps. Except for a small scelionid wasp, none of these natural enemies is able to regulate locust numbers during an outbreak.