Chapter
24
Taxa and life stages consumed
Buprestidae (metallic woodborers)
Buprestis sp., adult
Chrysobothris femorata (author?),
larva, adult
Sternocera aequisignata Saund. (= equisignata and acquisignata), adult
Sternocera sp., adult
Cerambycidae (long-horned beetles)
Apriona germari Hope, larva, adult
Curculionidae (weevils, snout beetles)
Hypidisa talaca Walk., adult
Hypomeces squamosus (Fabr.),
adult
Rhynchophorus schah Fabr.,
larva, adult
Dytiscidae (predaceous diving beetles)
Cybister limbatus Fabr.,
adult
Cybister (= Cybis?) sp., adult
Cybister tripunctatus (author?)
(= tripuncta), larva, adult
Haliplidae (crawling water beetles)
Haliplid
sp., adult
Hydrophilidae (water scavenger beetles)
Hydrous sp., adult
Scarabaeidae (scarab beetles)
Adoretus
compressus Web., adult
Adoretus convexus Burm.,
adult
Anomala antiqua Gyll.), adult
Apogonia spp.
Copris spp., adults
Exopotus sp., adult
Helicopris sp., adult
Holotrichia sp., adult
Lepidiota sp., larva, adult
Lepidiota stigma (Fabr.),
larva, adult
Leucopholis (= Leucophosis?) sp., adult
Onitis sp., adult
Onitis virens Lansb., adult
Onthophagous sp., adult
Oryctes rhinoceros (Linn.),
larva, pupa, adult
Psilophosis sp., adult
Xylotrupes Gideon Linn.,
larva, adult
Belostomatidae (giant water bugs)
Lethocerus (= Belostoma) indicus Lep. &
Serv., adult
Naucoridae (creeping water bugs)
Sphaerodema molestum (author?),
adult
Sphaerodema rustica Fabr.,
adult
Nepidae (water scorpions)
Laccotrephes grisea Guer.,
adult
Nepa sp., adult
Notonectidae (back swimmers)
Notonecta undulata (author?)
(? = Notonita ?;=Notonica intermerata),
adult
Pentatomidae (stink bugs)
Tesseratoma (= Teeseratama) javanica Thunb.,
nymph, adult
Tesseratoma papillosa Drury,
adult
Cicadidae (cicadas, psyllids, etc.)
Cosmopsatria sp., adult
Dundulia entemerata Walk. (? = Dandubia, ?;= Dundubia, ?; = Dunduebia intermerata),
adult
Dundubia sp., adult
Magicicada spp., adults
Rihana sp., adult
Kerridae (lac scales)
Kerria (= Laccifer) lacca Kerr.
Anthophoridae (carpenter bees)
Xylocopa confusa Perez,
adult
Xylocopa latipes Dr., adult
Apidae (honey bees)
Apis dorsata Fabr., larva, pupa
Apis florae Fabr., larva, comb/all stages
Apis indica (author?), larva, pupa
Apis sp., larva, pupa, comb/larva
Formicidae (ants)
Crematogaster sp., larva
Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabr.), all
stages
Halictidae (halictids)
Nomia sp., larva, pupa
Vespidae (wasps, hornets)
Eumenes petiolata Fabr.,
larva
Vespa cincta Fabr., larva, adult
Vespa sp., larva
Reticulitermes flavipes Kollar,
winged adult
Termes flavicole (author?),
winged adult
Bombycidae (silkworm moths)
Bombyx mori (Linn.), pupa
Cossidae (carpenter moths, leopard moths)
Xyleutes leuconotus (author?),
larva
Zeuzera coffeae (author?), larva
Pyralidae (snout and grass moths)
Pyralid
sp.
Family uncertain
Hierdula sp., eggs, adults
Tenodera sinensis (author?)
Anax (=Anaz) guttatus Burm., adult
Aeschnidae spp., nymphs
Libellulidae (common skimmers)
Libellula (= Libella?; = Ubellela?) pulchella Drury
Libellulidae spp., nymphs
Macromiidae (belted skimmers, river skimmers)
Macromia sp., nymph
Epophtholmia vittigera (author?), nymph
Rhyothemis sp., nymph
Acrididae (short-horned grasshoppers)
Aelopus tamulus Fabr.
Cyrtacanthacris tatarica (author?), adult
Locusta migratoria Linn.
Locusta (= Locustra?) sp., adult
Oxya japonica japonica (author?)
Patanga succincta (author?)
Blattidae (roaches)
Blatta orientalis Linn., egg, adult
Stylophyga rhombifolia Stoll., egg adult
Gryllidae (crickets)
Brachytrupes (= Brachytrypes) portentosus Licht., adult
Brachytrupes sp.
Gryllus testaceous Walck.
Liogryllus bimaculatus De Geer (= Gryllus?; = Acheta bimaculata?; = G. bimaculata?; =
G. bimarculata?)
Gryllotalpidae (mole crickets)
Gryllotalpa africana
Beauv., adult
Tettigoniidae (long-horned grasshoppers)
Scudderia sp., adult
Family uncertain
Eurycnema versirubra Serville,
frass
Bristowe (1932) published the first definitive paper
on entomophagy in Thailand. Bristowe
found that Thai and Lao peasants ate similar diets, consisting of rice with
fish supplying the main protein constituent, but that the Lao, in addition, ate
considerable numbers of insects, each in its particular season. Although the Laos are concentrated mainly in
northern and eastern Thailand, their choice of insects and order of preference
were found to be remarkably consistent throughout the country, the most popular
being the giant waterbug, dung beetles and their larvae, grasshoppers and the
larvae of Hymenoptera, beetles and moths.
Up to 4d. may be paid for
a single Helicopris dung beetle
or giant water-bug. Exceptions included
dragonflies and their nymphs which are eaten only in the Ubon area and at Hua
Hin, respectively, and cockroaches which are eaten at Korat and Hua Hin, but
said in other areas to "stink."
Cockroach eggs, however, are fried and eaten by children in all
districts. Some species, such as the
cicada, Dundubia intemerata, are
restricted in range and therefore not known in other districts. Bristowe was impressed by the Lao knowledge
of insect life-histories.
Bristowe states that, "As regards their reasons for
eating insects, I found that without question the Laos like them. Some fetch high prices and the capture of
others is fraught with considerable risk."
Bristowe sampled most of the insects eaten by the Laos and "found
none of them distasteful and a few quite palatable, notably the giant
water-bug." Dung beetles were
"by no means unpleasant." Salt
is usually added to the insects, or sometimes chilli or the leaves of scented
herbs, and sometimes they are eaten with rice or added to sauces or curry. Bristowe likened the flavor of termites,
cicadas and crickets to that of lettuce.
Thais look askance at the Lao because of their
insect-eating habits, particularly their liking for dung beetles and their
larvae. The Thais themselves eat certain
kinds of insects, however, although not making such a general practice of
it. Bristowe states: "Giant
water-bugs are added to royal sauces, Duang grubs (Zeuzera coffeae) were much prized by the late king, and
certain kinds of ant and ant grub are pickled for the consumption of good
family Siamese in Bangkok. Wasp grubs
and honey, locusts, crickets and even big Mygalomorph spiders are occasionally
eaten by some of the Siamese peasants."
Bristowe stated that his list of the insects eaten was
probably far from complete, but he was confident that the major species were
included. His findings are further
reported below under the appropriate orders and families. Bristowe concluded his extremely valuable
paper by listing some medicinal uses of insects in Thailand.
Bristowe (1953) rehashes his previous paper (1932)
without adding any new information. Nakao (1964;
vide Hirashima et al 1979) reported observations on human consumption of
insects in Thailand [this paper, in Japanese, has not yet been seen].
Mungkorndin (1981; vide Watanabe and Satrawaha 1984)
discusses the edible plants and animals throughout the whole of Thailand. [This paper has not yet been seen.]
In an important paper, Sungpuag
and Puwastien (1983) provided the results of proximate,
mineral and vitamin analyses on 12 species of insects that are consumed in the
north and northeast of Thailand where insect consumption is common
practice. Insects are the common source
of protein and energy for the rural farmers of the region and therefore
nutritionally important according to the authors, who also note that, despite
this, there is no information on nutritive values of insects in the latest
"Nutrient Composition Table of Thai Foods," published by the
Nutrition Division, Department of Health.
The authors note that their analyses included only some
of the species that are consumed in northeast Thailand. The insects for analysis were taken live (the
majority of samples) by people in the villages or bought at markets in Ubon and
Mahasarakam provinces. The insects were
killed in boiling water and only the edible parts were retained. They were then sundried, baked at 50oC
and ground to a powder. In a food
consumption survey conducted during the insect consumption season in Ubon in
the villages where samples were collected, it was found that 20-60 g of insects
are consumed per day, providing 1-5 g of protein, 1-50 g of fat, 1-5 g of
carbohydrate and 10-350 kcal of energy.
The eight-month season of edible insect availability and consumption
found by Sungpuag and Puwastien is shown in Thailand Table 1 (see authors'
Table 1).
Although Sungpuag and Puwastien conducted analyses on
baked and dried samples, the nutrient compositions are reported in grams or
milligrams per 100 grams of live-weight (Thailand Tables 2 and 3; see authors'
Tables 2 and 3). Some vitamins were lost
in the drying process, thus are underestimated in the tabular data. From the data, the authors conclude that the
insects are a good source of protein and high in several minerals (calcium, phosphorus,
sodium and potassium), but low in iron.
Vitamin B2 and niacin were higher than vitamin B1. The authors conclude that there are enough
nutrients in insects that they should be recommended to the rural people for
consumption and information should be provided that would make their use as
food as efficient as possible. Restraint
should be exercised in the use of pesticides so that insects remain available
as a food source. Finally, more studies
should be conducted on the nutritive value of insects, especially on their
amino acid content.
Sungpuag and Puwastien briefly discussed in tabular form
the methods by which the various species are prepared for consumption. These are included below under the
appropriate orders and families.
In an excellent paper, accompanied by numerous
black-and-white photographs, Watanabe
and Satrawaha (1984) provide data on 15 species of insects
found in the public market in Khon Kaen in northeastern Thailand. The authors state that the insects are an
important protein source for the people in this region, and that they are
"saleable in urban areas, being quality food available in
quantity." They also say, "To
ensure a continued supply, however, collection methods will need to be improved
and rearing methods established."
In addition to the insects discussed, the authors note that insects are
also sold unsorted in bulk.
Insects reported by Watanabe and Satrawaha are discussed
below under the appropriate orders and families. Relative to seasonal availability of the insect
foods they discuss, the rainy season extends from May to October, the end of
the rainy season refers to September-October, and the dry season extends from
February to April. Prices are presumably
those during the period 1979-1981.
In a study of natural food sources occuring in
northeastern Thailand during the rainy season, Somnasang et al (1984,
pp. 59-60) report all of the species reported earlier by Sungpuag and
Puwastien, plus the following:
Coleoptera, Chrysobothris femorata
(Buprestidae); Homoptera, Magicicada
spp. (Cicadidae); Isoptera, Reticulitermes
flavipes (Kollar); and Odonata, Ubellula
pulchella. The authors say,
in an introductory summation, that protein supplies are confined to animals and
insects while vegetables are the source of minerals and vitamins. In years of abundant rainfall, the surplus of
unconventional foods gathered from nature added to family income apart from the
proportions consumed daily. The natural
foods are gathered especially from paddy fields, from upland and forested
areas, and from natural ponds and streams.
Somnasang et al state (p. 12, translation): "Insects are a very important source of
protein for villagers in the Northeast, especially during the time that fish,
prawn, and frogs are difficult to find.
Besides providing protein insects also provide vitamins and
minerals. It is safe to eat the insects
because there is no pesticide. Most of
the time people eat the insects cooked.
Villagers said that nowadays insects are difficult to find." In one village in Chaiyapoom Province,
villagers said that there are not many insects now because there are not many
trees in the woods.
The authors mention that insects found in the rice
paddies during the rainy season are water bugs, grasshoppers, true water
beetles, winged termites, crickets and mole crickets (p. 26). Insects found in the woods and hills include
the June beetles, crickets, true water beetles, cicadas, metallic wood-borers,
and short-tailed crickets (p. 28).
Insects found in water are the dragonfly naiads, true water beetles, and
crickets (p. 29). While most insects are
more plentiful when there have been good rains, there are more grasshoppers
when it is dry (p. 8).
The giant water bugs are collected using nets or at
lights. The whole bug except the wings
is eaten. It is grilled and then put in
sauce to lend the desired odor or essence.
Female water bugs are sold two for one baht in the market, while male
bugs, which have more of the preferred odor, sell for two baht each (p.
32). Grasshoppers and true water beetles
are wrapped in banana leaf and grilled to put in soup. Grasshoppers are sold for one baht per
bag. Winged termites are grilled or
fried.
Somnasang et al (1985a) report that fewer insect foods are
available during the cool season than during the rainy season in northeast
Thailand (p. 29). Crickets are an
exception, more being found in the cool season when as many as 10 may be
collected from one cricket hole. Insects
collected during the cool season include (p. 39): Coleoptera, Cybister
limbatus (Dytiscidae); Onitis
spp. and Copris spp.
(Scarabaeidae); Hemiptera, Notonita undurata
(Notonectidae); Homoptera, Magicicada
spp. (Cicadidae); Odonata, Libellula
pulchella; Orthoptera, Gryllus
bimarculatus (Gryllidae), and Gryllotalpa
africana (Gryllotalpidae); and an insect called mang-kha-noon. Cicadas are in season in February. They are fried and ground to powder in the
same way as water bugs are prepared. A
few other remarks are made regarding insect food preparation or seasonal abundance
(pp. 19-22), but the information has been noted previously. Somnasang et al state that the main sources
of food for family consumption in the cool season are crops and vegetables, and
for meat, chicken. The forest remains a
source of mushrooms at the onset of the cool season (November). Fish is the food most commonly purchased.
Somnasang et al (1985b) repeat information provided in the
earlier report by this group (Somnasang et al 1984). Somnasang
et al (1986) report several insects among the natural
food resources in northeast Thailand villages during the summer season. These include the buffalo dung beetles, Onitis spp. and Copris
spp.; winged termites of Reticulitermes
flavipes; the giant water-bug, Lethocerus
indicus; the dragonfly naiad, Ubellula
pulchella (known as noey); and red ant's eggs. The authors point out that summer natural
food sources are limited compared to those in the rainy and cool seasons. Less wood is needed for fuel and more people
are employed in the summer, so fewer trips are made to the forest.
The Ministry of Public
Health (1987) provided
an attractive booklet with colored illustrations called the "Manual for
Using Food which Provides High Protein and Fat in Rural Areas." It is intended for selecting foods for malnourished
infants and pre-school children. The
Nutrition Division, based on research, developed nine "supplementary
food" formulas that can be used to supplement the food of infants age 3
months and older. The formulas are based
on locally produced foods; Formula 3, for example, consists of 650 g of rice,
250 g of mung bean, and 100 g of white sesame.
The protein and energy value of this formula is shown in Thailand Table
4 (MPH manual p.4) along with values given in the booklet for several insects
and selected other foods, a total of 60 foods (insect data shown on MPH pp.
14-15). The daily requirement of protein
and calories for Thai children are also shown in Table 4 (on MPH p. 16).
Gorton (1989) states:
Drought, deforestation and overpopulation have left Northeast Thailand's poorest with even less than before. Still, 'Esarn' people, attuned to the weather and soil, have adapted in their own unusual, albeit practical, way. While swarms of insects have invaded precious rice and corn fields, villagers have fought back with their own appetites, instead of the more expensive and dangerous chemicals. At the same time, villagers have been able to increase their sagging protein intake.
Gorton notes that more
than 19 varieties of insects are eaten by villagers and attributes to a leading
Thai nutritionist the statement that "Insects are becoming an increasingly
important protein supplement for the diets in the Northeast." Gorton mentions Oun Pachusoo, 40, who has a
family of four to feed. She uses an old
cloth to trap water bugs in ponds and paddies and lift them out of the
water. Selling her water bugs at the
Roi-Et open market, she estimates she earns 50 to 60 baht (U.S. $1.90 to $2.30)
a day.
According to Gorton, villagers have been able to stem the
damage to crops by "turning foe into food," a most notable example
being the grasshoppers or "flying shrimp", which feed on corn
seedlings, sugarcane, rice and banana leaves.
Government spraying programs involving "massive amounts of
chemicals" became less and less successful, while "being expensive
and hazardous to health." Villagers
sometimes ate insects dead from pesticides, and as recently as 1986, there were
stories of villagers dying or being seriously injured by chemicals ingested
along with the insects. "Large
cross-province shipments of grasshoppers killed by pesticides, then fried to a
crisp in cooking oil were a lucrative business for some."
Gorton reports that, as a result of information from news
reports and health officials, some districts and villages gave up the spraying
in favor of grasshopper catching competitions.
Health and culinary experts gave demonstrations on the best way to clean
and prepare the grasshoppers. Gorton
notes that, "Those who can catch the insects in mass quantity are able to
sell them on the village roadside or become involved with the lucrative
'export' trade to Bangkok."
Of red ant "eggs", which have long been
considered a delicacy in northeast Thailand, Gorton says: "No fine restaurant in a provincial
capital would be found without its supply of the foodstuff. The eggs are of great nutritional value
because they are often eaten raw, mixed together with ants, chillies, chopped
lemon grass, radishes and various other additives. On a good day, villagers can make a few
dollars of marketable food, though the villagers often prefer to eat them at
home as a kind of special treat for a successful walk in the wilderness."
Jonjuapsong (1996) discusses collection and preparation
methods for several of the edible insects in Thailand (see under appropriate
taxonomic groups below). He notes that children eagerly collect insects flying
around the gas-powered lanterns and consider them delicious. Insects are a good source of protein for people
in the countryside, and their taste is "not inferior to that of beef,
pork, chicken, shrimp or fish in the least; for example the flesh of praying
mantis is very similar to that of shrimp mixed with fresh mushrooms." Entomophagy also contributes to pest control,
as many of the edible species are destructive to plants. More than 50 species are eaten (roasted,
boiled, sautéed or pounded) by people from northeast Thailand, and it is part
of the culture. The tabularized nutritional values presented are those
published originally by Sungpuag and Puwastien.
Yhoung-aree and Puwastien (1997) note that, because of transportation
and other difficulties, "conventional protein" sources such as fish,
poultry, pork, beef, eggs and milk, are not reliably available in some parts of
Thailand, the north and northeast being two such regions. Insects have served since ancient times,
however, as an alternative source of protein which helps to overcome the
periodic or seasonal scarcity of the conventional sources. In addition, some insects have long been
important "cultural foods" and are widely used not only in the rural
north and northeast but throughout the country.
Two consumption patterns exist. In rural areas, insects serve as main
dishes and are eaten with staple foods such as rice, while urban dwellers
mainly use insects as snack foods, although some, such as the giant water bug,
may be used as an ingredient in certain popular dishes.
To investigate consumption patterns in rural areas,
Yhoung-aree and Puwastien conducted four dietary assessments representing
different seasons among 140 school-aged children in northeast Thailand. The first assessment,
in October (the transition month between the rainy and cool-dry seasons)
revealed that 15% of the children ate insects and averaged 15
g/person/meal. In the second assessment, in December (the dry
cool-season [and a period of low insect availability]), 2% ate insects and
averaged 26 g/person/meal. In the third
period, in February-March (late cool-dry season), 16% ate insects with an
average consumption of 16 g/person/meal. In the fourth assessment, April to
early May (the hot-dry season [and the period of greatest insect
availability]), 32% of respondents consumed insect dishes and averaged 26
g/person/meal. Although volume of
consumption was relatively low, the authors believe these data confirm that
insects play a substantial role in household food security, "particularly
since among the rural poor, insects can feed a sizable family at very little
(if any) monetary cost."
In urban areas, although many are "squeamish"
about eating them, insects are purchased and well-accepted by people of various
economic levels and some insects, such as wasps, bamboo caterpillars, crickets,
locusts and others, are sold as delicacies in the finest restaurants and food shops. The authors state that urbanites who like
insect dishes may be mainly rural insect eaters who have migrated to the
city. The authors mention also that the
Thai government has played a role in promoting insect consumption, especially
relative to locust plagues, and, as a result fried locusts and locust fritters
appeared widely in city markets. Some
people became wary, however, following reports that people had died after
eating insects, possibly caused by insecticide contamination.
According to Yhoung-aree and Puwastien, cooking methods
for insects are not different from those used for other foods, and they
indicate which methods are most popular for the different insect groups. For example, they say, relative to frying/frittering:
Deep-frying is the main technique
used to prepare bamboo caterpillars. This dish is delicious and tastes much
like french fries. Hence, it becomes a
popular dish even with urban dwellers of all economic classes. However the price
is quite expensive compared to other insects (and some meat sources), reaching
up to 150-200 Baht per kilogram of cooked bamboo caterpillars (Note: approx. 24
Baht = 1 US$). Deep frying is also used for crickets, locusts, and beetles.
Fried locusts or grasshoppers, known as "sky prawns," are a popular
and expensive dish in urban areas as well as rural ones. Cricket and locust fritters are also one of
the most common dishes sold in urban restaurants and as street foods in large
markets such as the weekend market in Bangkok, the night market in the Patpong
area, large markets in Chiangmai and so on.
These dishes are normally served as a relish.
According to the authors, roasting is the most common method of cooking for all
insects except bees and wasps which are automatically smoked during their collection. Baking/barbecuing may be used to cook
crickets and giant water bugs. All kinds
of insects, especially locusts, wasps, ant eggs and beetles, are suitable for
preparing spicy soup/curry, and
the authors mention that many kinds of insects are suitable for preparation as homoke, which entails mixing them with
chilli-based ingredients, and wrapping the mixture in a banana leaf which is
then either baked or steamed, resulting in a red custard-like dish. Minced insects (crickets, beetles, cicadas
and giant water bugs are suitable) may be prepared as jaew (spicy chilli paste) or pone (watery chilli sauce), foods which
are commonly eaten by indigenous people.
Several less commonly used methods are mentioned, such as dipping the
insects in eggs and frying or adding them as part of scrambled eggs or
omelettes.
Noting that the protein content of conventional animal
sources ranges from 3.5 g/100 g in milk to 18-20 g/100 g in meat, and comparing
this to data from an earlier study on nutrient content of insects (see Thailand
Tables 2 and 3), the authors consider insects to be quantitatively good sources
of protein, but low in fat, except for young female red ants. They cite earlier studies on amino acid
scores showing insects' protein quality ranging from 48 to 80% of the FAO/WHO
reference protein. They note, from data
on bamboo caterpillars, that frying results in a marked increase in protein and
energy content. And, as shown in
Thailand Table 3, insects are also good sources of certain minerals and vitamins,
especially phosphorus, potassium, iron, riboflavin and niacin.
Yhoung-aree and Puwastien conclude by saying that
although insects are not part of the staple diet of urbanites, they are
significant sources of protein for rural inhabitants. Unfortunately, rapidly changing
socio-economic factors such as people seeking off-farm employment and
consequent reduction in rural collectors and consumers and increasing
environmental degradation may reduce the availability and consumption of
insects. In the immediate future,
however, because of their cheap availability and marketability, they should
continue to play an important role in household food security.
Coleoptera
Buprestidae (metallic woodborers)
Buprestis sp., adult
Chrysobothris
femorata (author?), larva, adult
Sternocera
aequisignata Saund. (= equisignata and acquisignata),
adult
Sternocera
sp.,
adult
The woodboring buprestid, Sternocera equisignata Saund. (Lao name: Mang Khup; Thai name: Mang Thup), is sought not only by the Laos
for food but by the Chinese for decorative purposes, the metallic green and
gold elytra being used in clothes, jewelry and ornaments (Bristowe 1932). The Chinese breed them for this purpose, and
in Bangkok they sell for 1 satang or approximately 1/4d. each.
They are picked off of shrubs by the Laos who roast them and squeeze out
the feces before eating them.
Vara-asavapati et al (1975, pp. 13-50) discuss numerous insects
used as food in northeast Thailand.
Included among the Coleoptera are more than a dozen species of beetles
representing seven families. In the
family Buprestidae, the metallic woodborers, two species, Buprestis sp. and Sternocera aequisignata, are consumed, in
the adult stage (p. 42). They are known
as ma-langtap or ma-lang khap. They feed
on tree leaves and are easily collected by shaking the trees; they do not fly
away, but fall to the ground and feign death.
They are fried and the head, wings and legs are removed before they are
eaten.
Watanabe and Satrawaha (1984) summarize the Sternocera
sp. (metallic wood borer) adult as follows:
Malaeng Tub; 1 baht/2 adults; end of rainy season; live. The adults of Buprestis sp. and S.
aequisignata feed on the leaves of tamarind trees, according to Jonjuapsong (1996), who also mentions the ease of collecting them by
shaking the branches because they do not try to escape when they fall to the
ground. They are prepared by roasting or
frying without oil, then removing the head, wings and legs.
See also Bristowe (1932) and Somnasang et al (1984) in the
Introduction, and Ngamsomgsuke et al (1987) under Miscellaneous.
Cerambycidae
(long-horned beetles)
Apriona
germari Hope, larva, adult
Among the beetles, Bristowe
(1932) was unable to determine the
specific identity of the larvae of a number of longicorns (Cerambycidae) and
members of other families that are eaten by the Lao. The larvae, extracted from wood, are roasted.
Among the Cerambycidae or long-horned beetles, both the
larvae and adults of Apriona germari
Hope (known as ma-lang-kok or duang-nuatyao) are eaten (Vara-asavapati et al 1975, p. 43). This is a large species, the adults measuring
3-5 cm with the female the larger, and the larvae measuring 5-6 cm in
length. It is a serious pest of mulberry
and kapok trees among others. Eggs are
laid from May to July and the life cycle takes about one year with 9-10 months
in the larval stage. The adults are
caught by hand, and the wings, head and legs are removed before they are
grilled or fried. The larvae, and
sometimes the pupae, are fried or cooked in banana leaves. When fried, larvae, pupae and adults are
fried without oil (Jonjuapsong 1996).
See also Bristowe (1932) in the Introduction.
Curculionidae
(weevils, snout beetles)
Hypodisa
talaca Walk., adult
Hypomeces
squamosus (Fabr.), adult
Rhynchophorus
schah Fabr., larva, adult
Both the larvae and adults of the large curculionid
weevil, Rhynchophorus schah F.,
are sought for food (Bristow 1932). The larvae are extracted from coconut palms,
and roasted.
Adults of two species of snout beetles, Hypomeces squamosus and Hypodisa talaca Walk. (Curculionidae), are
eaten after first removing the head (Vara-asavapati
et al 1975). These are small
greenish-bronze in color, and known as ma-lang-khom-tong or ma-lang-chang. Children catch them by hand and eat them raw,
or if many are caught they are fried with a little salt.
Dytiscidae
(predaceous diving beetles)
Cybister
limbatus Fabr., adult
Cybister
(=
Cybis?) sp., adult
Cybister
tripunctatus (author?) (= tripuncta), larva, adult
Only one dytiscid, Cybister
limbatus F. (Lao name: Mang
mee-eng), is reported by Bristowe
(1932). These black shiny water beetles are caught in
nets (probably primarily during fishing) and roasted.
Graves and Launois (1973,
p. 116) mention that in Bangkok's countless open-air stalls, "Vendors
offer an enormous variety of foods, from rich confections and exotic fruits to
a spicy paste made from mashed water beetles."
Vara-asavapati et al (1975) report the food use of water beetles
representing three families. Villagers
catch the "true water beetle," Cybister
tripunctatus (Dytiscidae) (known as ma-langtap-tao or duang-ding)
and its nymph (known as "mang-eed") in ponds, swamps, small rivers
and rice paddies (p. 27). Bamboo nets or
fishing nets are used to catch the beetles.
The beetles and their nymphs are in season from the rainy season to
winter, and the "mang-eed" are found in the markets everyday during
the rainy season. "Mang-eed"
is prepared in the same way as prawns; the wings of the adult beetles are
removed before they are eaten.
Sungpuog and Puwastien (1983) state that the true water beetle, Cybister limbatus Fabr., known as
ma-lang-tap-tao, is pounded into paste, roasted on a spit, pan roasted. See Thailand Table 1 for seasonal
availability and Tables 2 and 3 for nutrient analyses. Cybis
sp. (predaceous diving beetle) adult:
Malaeng Tub Tow; 5 baht/3 scoops or 1 baht/2 scoops [both prices listed
by authors]; rainy season; steamed (Watanabe
and Satrawaha 1984).
Jonjuapsong (1996