Table 1 Insect taxa and their use as food by the Awajún people in descending order of the Salience Index (S)
Species | Order | Family | Vernacular name | Consumption stage | Form of preparation | Gathering method | Seasonal availability | S | % of respondents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rhynchophorus palmarum* | Coleoptera | Curculionidae (beetles) | Bukín [bu.ˈkĩn] | Larva | Grilling, roasting on stick, frying, boiling | Collecting from split palm trunk of Mauritia flexuosa, Attalea phalerata, Astrocaryum chambira, Oenocarpus bataua and Bactris gasipaes | Jan–Dec | 0.83 | 99 |
Atta cephalotes | Hymenoptera | Formicidae (ants) | Week [we.ˈɛk] | Adult | Toasting, frying | Collecting ants from burned nest | Sep–Oct | 0.50 | 88 |
Rhinostomus barbirostris | Coleoptera | Curculionidae (beetles) | Datush [ˈda.tus] | Larva | Grilling, roasting on stick | Collecting from split palm trunk of Mauritia flexuosa, Oenocarpus bataua, Attalea phalerata and Bactris gasipaes | Jan–Dec | 0.47 | 81 |
Agelaia pallipes | Hymenoptera | Vespidae (wasps) | Usuk ete [u. ˈsuk ˈɛ.te] | Pupae | Roasting, toasting | Collecting eggs and nymphs from burned nest | Jun–Aug | 0.37 | 63 |
Crematogaster sordidula | Hymenoptera | Formicidae (ants) | Máya [ˈma.ʝa] | Adult | Roasting | Collecting from split tree trunk of Ochroma pyramidale | Jan–Dec | 0.35 | 67 |
Metamasius hemipterus | Coleoptera | Curculionidae (beetles) | Daish [ˈdai̯s] | Larva | Consumed directly (raw) | Collecting from split palm trunk of Mauritia flexuosa, Attalea phalerata, Astrocaryum chambira and Bactris gasipaes | Jan–Dec | 0.35 | 58 |
Rhynchophorus palmarum* | Coleoptera | Curculionidae (beetles) | Tsampun [ˈt.sãm.pũn] | Adult | Toasting, grilling | Collecting from split palm trunk of Mauritia flexuosa, Attalea phalerata and Astrocaryum chambira and Bactris gasipaes | Jun–Sep | 0.19 | 40 |
Cyphomyia auriflamma | Diptera | Stratiomyidae (flies) | Kawat [ka.ˈwat] | Larva | Consumed directly (raw) | Collecting from split palm trunk of Mauritia flexuosa, Attalea phalerata and Astrocaryum spp. | Jan–Dec | 0.10 | 26 |
Strategus jugurtha | Coleoptera | Scarabaeidae (beetles) | Kuru [ˈku.ɾu] | Adult | Toasting, Grilling | Collecting from cut youth branches of Gynerium sagittatum | Jun–Sep | 0.05 | 25 |
Megaceras crassum | Coleoptera | Scarabaeidae (beetles) | Amuntai [a.mũn̪.ˈtai̯] | Adult | Toasting, grilling | Collecting from cut youth branches of Gynerium sagittatum | Jun–Sep | 0.03 | 9 |
UID** | Coleoptera | Elateridae (beetles) | Chuu [ˈʧu.u] | Larva | Consumed directly (raw) | Collecting from split palm trunk of Mauritia flexuosa | Jan–Dec | 0.03 | 6 |
Cephalotes atratus | Hymenoptera | Formicidae (ants) | Dakerae [da.kɛ.ˈɾa.e] | Adult | Roasting | Collecting from split trunk of various host plants | Jan–Dec | 0.01 | 4 |
Mischocyttarus spp. | Hymenoptera | Vespidae (wasps) | Shanu [ˈsa.nu] | Pupae | Roasting, toasting | Collecting eggs and nymphs from burned nest | Jun-Aug | 0.01 | 1 |