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The desert locust Schistocerca gregaria contains a relatively simple but abundant gut microbiota, which originated from the insect’s diet. The gut bacterial population is dominated by Enterobacteriaceae with a major component of enterococci. Microbial metabolism of secondary plant chemicals in the locust gut produces phenolics useful to the locust host. Some products are antimicrobial and contribute to host defense against pathogens, others are employed by the host as components of the aggregation pheromone. This dual benefit suggests a closer degree of integration between the locust and its microbial community than was previously suspected. (C) 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.