Table 2 Inventory of edible insects used by members of the Nocte tribe of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh
Scientific name | Order | Family | English name | Vernacular name | Seasonal availability | Mode of intake | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unidentified | Ephemeroptera | Mayfly | Along/ Phin | Sept- Nov | Roasted | ||
Termes sp. | Isoptera | Termitidae | Termite | Akhun | May- June | Roasted with local edible leaves, wings discarded | |
Odontotermes sp. | Isoptera | Odontotermitidae | Akhun | May- June | Roasted with local edible leaves, wings discarded | ||
Unidentified | Odonata | Gomphidae | Odonate larvae of dragonfly | Moogi | Sept - Oct | Roasted with local edible leaves | |
Brachytrupes sp. | Orthoptera | Gryllidae | Cricket | Loothong/ Idmon/ Churu | May- Sept | Antennae, wings and anal cerci discarded, bind with local leaves and roasted | |
Brachytrupes orientalis (Burmeister 1838) | Orthoptera | Gryllidae | Cricket | Loothong/ Idmon/ Churu | May- Sept | Antennae, wings and anal cerci discarded, bind with local leaves and roasted | |
Macrolyristes sp. | Orthoptera | Tettigoniidae | Katydid | Kokchug/ Headboon | Sept- Oct | Antennae, wings and anal cerci discarded, bind with local edible leaves and roasted | |
Unidentified | Orthoptera | Tettigoniidae | Katydid | Kotkot | Aug- Nov | Roasted | |
Aspongopus nepalensis Westwood 1837 | Hemiptera | Pentatomidae | Bug | Longheto/ Seve | Dec- Feb | Boiled or prepared as chutney | Sometimes consumption causes psychiatric disorder |
Tessaratoma quadrata Distant 1902 | Hemiptera | Pentatomidae | Bug | Siviliangkhan/ Heta | Jan- Mar | Wings and appendages discarded, bodies are roasted (“gi”) | Nocte people reported secretion from backside is quite dangerous for eye |
Halyomorpha picus (Fabricius 1794) | Hemiptera | Pentatomidae | Bug | Longliasivi/ Longlia | Nov- Feb | Wings and appendages discarded, bodies are roasted (“gi”) | |
Apis (cerana) indica (Fabricius 1798) | Hymenoptera | Apidae | Honeybee | Nyakui | Nov- Jan | Immature stages are consumed, boiled or roasted | Honey is used widely as medicinal agent |
Apis mellifera Linnaeus 1758 | Hymenoptera | Apidae | Honeybee | Nyakui | Nov- Jan | Immature stages are consumed, boiled or roasted | Honey is used widely as medicinal agent |
Unidentified | Hymenoptera | Apidae or Vespidae | Bee or wasp | Nyakui | Nov - Jan | Immature stages are consumed, boiled or roasted | |
Xylocopa sp | Hymenoptera | Xylocopidae | Bee | Nyakui | Nov- Mar | Immature stages are consumed, boiled or roasted | |
Oecophylla smaragdina Fabricius 1775 | Hymenoptera | Formicidae | Red ant | Aukhithio/Thapi/Khawa | Round the year | People use to take the hive and treat it with hot water, keep it as it is in pan and roasted it with masala |