Farmers in Russia's Saratov region have begged President Vladimir Putin to help them deal with a swarming population of saiga antelopes, which have destroyed crops and contaminated water supplies
I would understand that “swarm” here is used as a noun, destroy is the verb. The verb uses the third-person singular form (destroys) therefore the subject can’t be “1 million antelopes” (plural), but should be singular, like “one swarm of antelopes”.
“swarm” here is a verb, not a noun. As in, “to swarm”.
“The sappers exploded their charges under the city walls, and the invader’s troops swarmed in through the gap.”
I would understand that “swarm” here is used as a noun, destroy is the verb. The verb uses the third-person singular form (destroys) therefore the subject can’t be “1 million antelopes” (plural), but should be singular, like “one swarm of antelopes”.
No, it’s pretty obviously being used as a noun here.
But as used in the headline, “…antelope swarm destroys…” the verb is “destroys,” not “swarm.”