Locusts rarely, if ever bite people. However, because of their diet, the pests do damage growing plants and vegetables. A large locust population can wipe out a garden in a short time. In addition, due to their behavior, agility and sometimes huge populations, these insects are difficult to exclude from ornamentals and other plants. These insects are also commonly called migratory grasshoppers and the damage they’ve created in the past is legendary as they migrate from one location to another, sometimes consuming all of the plant matter they come across.