The hybrid locust is a genetically-modified organism produced by BioSyn Genetics for the secret program Hexapod Allies. It is a genetically altered strain of the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) enhanced with DNA from an extinct species of large orthopteran from the Maastrichtian age. Modifications include increased size and strength, longevity, and an inability to eat the crops specifically bioengineered by BioSyn.
This species was genetically engineered in the early 2020s and led to major economic damage in the Midwestern United States at the beginning of the 2022 growing season. Following an investigation into BioSyn’s then-unconfirmed relation to the locust swarms, a method was developed by geneticist Henry Wu (who had originally been coerced by BioSyn into working on Hexapod Allies) to transmit a genetic modification throughout the swarms and reduce their populations to manageable levels.
