In contrast to pests developing in close association with a particular host crop, locusts and grasshoppers are often controlled in natural or semi-natural landscapes, exposing structurally and functionally diverse communities to agrochemicals, chemicals to which they are not adapted. This suggests that insecticide-induced perturbations may be severe. On the other hand, with acridids being highly mobile, exposure of non-target biota at any one location tends to be rare, and insecticides might be seen as yet another component in a canon of stochastic and deterministic, natural or human-induced environmental catastrophes and selective forces, shaping communities and ecosystems. Moreover, habitat loss is by far the most important single threat to biodiversity, so why should doubt be cast on the potential and resilience of populations to recover from occasional insecticide stress? This paper reviews the environmental impact, as well as ecological and conceptual characteristics of acridid pest control. It concludes that ecologically significant risks may arise, in particular in ecosystems exposed to multiple stressors. Four priorities in ecological risk assessment and acridid pest management are proposed: 1) delimitation and characterization of sensitive areas within locust and grasshopper habitats, 2) ecosystem-specific, long-term field studies and operational monitoring, 3) real-time stewardship of control campaigns, with adequate participation of stakeholders, and 4) incorporation of the precautionary principle into decision-making and risk management.