Kosher locust

While most insects are considered to be forbidden by Kosher dietary laws, four varieties of locust are listed in the Torah as permissible. However the identities of the four varieties are not completely clear.

Source in the Torah

The Torah states in Parshat Shemini:<blockquote>"Every flying insect that uses four legs for walking shall be avoided by you. The only flying insects with four walking legs you may eat are those with knees extending above their feet, to hop on the ground. Among these you may only eat members of the red locust family, the yellow locust family, the spotted gray locust family and the white locust family. All other flying insects with four feet must be avoided by you."Leviticus 11:20-23

Sources in the Talmud

Tractate Chullin 59a, 65a-66b andTractate Avodah Zara 37a

The Mishna states in Chullin: <blockquote>"Any kind of grasshopper that has four walking legs, four wings, two jumping legs and whose wings cover the greater part of its body is kosher."</blockquote>

Yemenite tradition

The four types of locusts stated in the Torah are known according to Yemenite tradition to be the following:

The red locust (Hebrew: ארבה, Arbeh, Aramaic: גובאי, Govei Arabic: الجراد, Al-G'rad.)

The yellow locust (Hebrew: סלעם, Sal'am, Aramaic: רשון, Rashun, Arabic: الدبا, Al-Daba).

The spotted gray locust (Herbew: חרגול, Chargol Aramaic: ניפול,...
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