I hadn’t realised, before I did some research ready to introduce today’s toddlers session (on John the Baptist, who ate locusts and wild honey… hence our link to a creature from the natural world) that locusts are just grasshoppers. However, what gives them their feared name is that, under certain conditions, the normally solitary creatures start to gather in vast, sky-darkening numbers. They fly long distances and, when they land, they strip whatever greenery they find, making them a veritable plague.

It works both ways though and, as John knew, they are also edible. I also got to try crispy locusts for the first time today. I don’t know how they were cooked but there was nothing icky left – just a crunchy texture, like various types of corn or potato snacks, and a fairly non-descript taste.

Anyway, I now know much more than I did about locusts last week both in my head and in my belly.