hippopotamuses, and giraffes. The ideal in locust control is preventive and proactive methods that disrupt the environment as little as possible, to make agricultural production more secure. As experimental models The locust is large and easy to breed and rear, and is used as an experimental model in research studies. It has been used in evolutionary biology research and to test the generalizability of conclusions reached about test organisms such as the fruit fly (Drosophila) and the housefly (Musca). It is a suitable school laboratory animal because of its robustness and ease of breeding and handling. As food Locusts have been used as food throughout history. They are considered meat. Several cultures throughout the world consume insects, and locusts are considered a delicacy in many African, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries. They can be cooked in many ways, but are often fried, smoked, or dried. The Bible records that John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey () while living in the wilderness. Attempts have been made to explain the text to mean ascetic vegetarian food such as carob beans, but the plain meaning of akrides is locust. The Torah, although disallowing the use of most insects as food, permits the consumption of certain locusts; specifically, the red, the yellow, the spotted grey, and the white are permissible. Islamic jurisprudence deems eating locusts to be halal. The Prophet Muhammad was reported to have eaten locusts during a military raid with his companions. Locusts are eaten in the Arabian Peninsula, including Saudi Arabia. In 2014, consumption of locusts spiked around Ramadan especially in the Al-Qassim Region, since many Saudis believe they are healthy to eat, but the Saudi Ministry of Health warned that pesticides made them unsafe. Yemenis also consume locusts, and expressed discontent over governmental plans to use pesticides against them. ʻAbd al-Salâm Shabînî described a locust recipe from Morocco. 19th century European travellers observed Arabs in Arabia, Egypt, and Morocco selling, cooking, and eating locusts. They reported that in Egypt and Palestine locusts were consumed. They reported that in Palestine, around the River Jordan, in Egypt, in Arabia, and in Morocco that Arabs ate locusts, while Syrian peasants did not eat locusts. In the Haouran region, Fellahs who were in poverty and suffered from famine ate locusts after removing the guts and head, while locusts were swallowed whole by Bedouins. Syrians, Copts, Greeks, Armenians, and other Christians and Arabs