As philosophers and theologians might already be aware, swarms of insects - specifically locusts - have been interpreted as warning signs for thousands of years.
In the Bible, God infamously punished the ancient Egyptians for their sins by sending a vicious swarm of locusts to destroy their crops.
And since then, reports of swarms of has been interpreted by the most superstitious members of society as a foreboding indication that something worrisome is just around the corner.
Back in 2020, numerous countries in East Africa saw their most severe swarms of lotuses in decades - with the insects sweeping through the farmlands of Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia, Eritrea.
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Harvests were consumed, trees obliterated and vegetation seemingly gone - which triggered devastation across these largely impoverished countries.
It's no surprise then that thousands of individuals living in South America are now worried after a plague of locusts took to the sky in Mexico this week.
In particular, the residents of Sinanché, a small town in southeastern Mexico were left terrified on Tuesday afternoon (5 December) when they first caught wind of the hissing sound.
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Enormous clouds of locusts have since taken over the skies above the state of Yucatán this week and have even been seen flying through shopping plazas, smashing through apartment complex windows and and eating fruit trees.
Many Mexican news outlets covering the terrifying event have pondered whether the dreaded plague might be a sign that the apocalypse is looming.
One local publication Publimetro even quoted the Biblical passage - hinting that the locusts are a sign of the end of civilisation.
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'And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power,' the passage read.
'And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.'
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Farmers in this area of Mexico have also reported that the insects have already made their way through their cornfields, which is particularly devastating being that the land is currently in the middle of harvest.
However, with not enough vegetation for them, the hungry swarm have migrated to urban areas on the hunt for more trees, fruit and bushes to consume.
Hundreds of residents have since taken to social media to express their fear of the future, including one who wrote: "#locusts #Merida #Yucatan I won't open my mouth again! #Plague #Apocalypse"
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Another teasingly tweeted a photo of the bugs, writing: "Swarms in #Mérida #Yucatán ...surprise neighbors... Like real estate developments..."
Despite fears that the end is nigh, however, state officials have promised concerned citizens that the bugs will likely leave the city 'in a couple of days' and hope they will land on more sparsely-populated land.
And it appears this might have been the case, with residents telling PorEsto! that the bugs had indeed disappeared.
Hopefully it stays that way.
Featured Image Credit: X/@Changuitofilos/YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP/Getty ImagesTopics: Animals, World News
