A study on prevalence of the practice of entomophagy in Upper Brahmaputra Valley of Assam, North-East India

Abstract

The survey was conducted in four districts of Brahmaputra valley of Assam regarding the prevalence of entomophagy. The survey was conducted in the four districts of Assam; Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar and Jorhat using questionnaire method. The study was conducted investigating the local names of the insects, stage of consumption, mode of consumption, their utility as food and medicine and their availability. Insects were also collected, preserved, identified and stored for further study on their nutritional content. During the present study, 17 species of insects were recorded to be consumed as food, out of which 4 species of edible insects are used for therapeutic purposes viz., red ant larva brood, wasps, desert locust and honey bee. The 17 species belonged to six orders, 12 families and 17 genera. They are pupae of Eri Silk Worm (Philosomia ricini), Muga Silk Worm (Antherea assama) and Mulberry silk worm (Bombyx mori), House cricket (Acheta domestica), Broods of Honey bee (Apis indica), Wasps (Vespa orientalis), June beetle (Phyllophaga rugosa), Grasshopper, Red palm weevil (Rhyncophorous ferrugineus), broods of Red ant larva, Giant Water Bug (Lithocercus indicus) and Termites (Odontotermus indicus). Edible insects are very nutritious and can serve as potential food, and revalidating this practice may aid in food security. Entomophagy can also provide a source of income for those who breed and rear insects, thus benefiting the economy without degrading the environment.