True, there's a lot of snow and ice there. Once on the ground, little of the snow and ice melts in the constant cold. Instead, it builds up over the years into layers and layers. I've heard about swarms or plagues of locusts in the Bible. Virginia Yes, Pat, it still does.
Locusts are a type of grasshopper.
There are several kinds, but the one mentioned in the Bible is the desert locust. But this insect is not always a bad guy. For years, it lives mostly by itself in the deserts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Then, when it rains in part of the desert, many locusts may come from all over to this wet spot, looking for grasses and other plants to eat. The locusts lay their eggs near each other.