Joel 1:4

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That which the cutting locust has left has the swarming locust eaten; and that which the swarming locust has left has the crawling locust eaten; and that which the crawling locust has left has the consuming locust eaten.

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Gregory The Dialogist

AD 604

We certainly know that in clouds of smoke, when some are fading away above, others rise up from below. So too in carnal thoughts, though some evil desires pass away, yet others succeed. But frequently the wretched mind beholds what has already passed but does not behold where it is still detained. It rejoices in being no longer subject to some sins but neglects to be careful and to lament because others have succeeded in their place, to which perhaps it yields more sinfully. And so it is that while some sins pass away and others succeed, the heart of the reprobate is possessed without intermission by this serpent. Therefore it is well said by the prophet Joel: “That which the palmerworm has left, the locust has eaten; and that which the locust has left, the cankerworm has eaten; and that which the cankerworm has left, the mildew has eaten.” .

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Jerome

AD 420

The twelve prophets whose writings are compressed within the narrow limits of a single volume have symbolic, typical meanings far beyond their literal ones. Hosea speaks many times of Ephraim, of Samaria, of Joseph of Jezreel, of a wife of whoredoms and of children of whoredoms, of an adulterous woman shut up within the chamber of her husband, sitting for a long time in widowhood and in the garb of mourning awaiting the time when her husband will return to her. Joel the son of Pethuel describes the land of the twelve tribes as spoiled and devastated by the palmerworm, the cankerworm, the locust and the blight, and he predicts that after the overthrow of the former people the Holy Spirit shall be poured out upon God’s servants and handmaids. This is the same spirit that was to be poured out in the upper chamber at Zion upon the believers.

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John Cassian

AD 435

For although the Lord has granted strong cattle, bodily health, a successful outcome to every activity and prosperous deeds, prayer must still be offered lest, as it is written, there be “a heaven of brass and an earth of iron” and lest “the swarming locust eat what the cutting locust has left, and the caterpillar devour what the swarming locust has left, and the blight consume what the caterpillar has left.” Not in this alone does the effort of the toiling farmer stand in need of divine assistance. [His effort] must also fend off unexpected accidents by which, even if a field is loaded with the desired fruitful yield, he will not only be frustrated by waiting in vain for what he has hoped for but will even be deprived of the abundant crop that has already been harvested and that is stored on the threshing floor or in the barn. .

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Richard Challoner

AD 1781

That which the palmerworm hath left: Some understand this literally of the desolation of the land by these insects: others understand it of the different invasions of the Chaldeans, or other enemies.

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Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation - 2 Peter 1:20