Promoting entomophagy through insect-eating festivals

Issue Date

10-2014

Abstract

Three insect-eating festivals were held at the botanical garden of the Mindanao State Univ. (MSU), Marawi City, Lanao del Sur. These festivals aimed to promote insect-eating as the cheapest method of controlling insect pests and overcome the problem of social acceptance. Students enrolled in Crop Protection 51, Entomology 51 and Integrated Pest Management for academic years 2011-2013 under the College of Agriculture were encouraged to concoct recipes utilizing insects as food. Insect pests of rice such as the Chinese grasshopper (Oxya chinensis), slant-faced grasshopper (Attractomorpha psittacina), rice bug (Leptocorisa oratorius) and Malaysian black bug (Scotinophara coarctata) were collected, fried and made into local delicacies such as insect turon (rolled peanuts with insects), insect polvoron and insect chayote bars. Likewise, insect pests of stored products like the rice moth (Corcyra cephalonica) and the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) were used as ingredients in polvoron, and rice cakes. The Asiatic palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) was cooked as adobo. Rice bugs were made into burgers, bees were used as sandwich fillers, while dragon flies were utilized as food toppings. Other important insect pests that were utilized during the second and third insect-eating festivals included the termites, ants, coconut leaf beetles (Brontispa longissima) and cabbage worm (Crocidolomia pavonana). The festivals promoted entomophagy based on the increasing number of people who participated in the activities. Employees and students responded positively by eating insects.

Source or Periodical Title

The Philippine Entomologist

ISSN

0048-3753

Volume

28

Issue

2

Page

202

Document Type

Article

Frequency

semi-annually

Language

English

En – AGROVOC descriptors

CROCIDOLOMIA; CORCYRA CEPHALONICA; LEPTOCORISA ORATORIUS; SCOTINOPHARA; TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM; RHYNCHOPHORUS FERRUGINEUS; OXYA; SPECIES; PESTS OF PLANTS; PEST CONTROL; FOODS; COOKING

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