Researchers Document 500 Edible Bugs Consumed by Indigenous Tribes in Northeast India

Patna: In recent years, when a religious colour has been given to the food habits of people in India, a latest research study has disclosed  that insects are traditional delicacies of different indigenous tribe in Northeast India, who rely on them as a source of food, nutrition, and medicine.

A recent research by a team of entomologists from the Bengaluru- based Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), discovered new species of popular edible bugs in Northeast India. They documented more than 500 species of edible insects from this region, including grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, termites, bees, wasps, ants, cicadas, and several aquatic insects.

The ATREE research team, led by Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan, along with Swapnil Boyane, Hemant Ghate of Modern College Pune, highlighted in their study that several species from this group were popularly consumed but remain unrecognised or even documented, despite being consumed by ethnic communities for years.

For instance, ‘stink bugs’ sold in markets during certain seasons attracted the special attention of the researchers. Upon closer examination, these bugs were identified as members of the genus Coridius of the Dinidoridae (Hemiptera) family. These Coridius bugs are relatively large in size and mainly feed on plant sap. This is a taxonomically intricate genus and to address this complexity, convention taxonomic methods based on morphological characters were not sufficient, they said in the study.

“Entomophagy or practice of eating insects is an age-old tradition widely practiced in Northeast India, where many communities rely on insects as a source of food, nutrition and medicine. Our findings are significant, as these have important implications for public health, conservation and have the potential to engage a diverse range of audiences, including scientists, park managers, media and the general public,” Dharma Rajan, senior fellow at ATREE, told the media.

This study revealed three new species and multiple undescribed lineages within this genus (which could be potential new species). The researchers named the new species reflecting their unique characteristics and the cultural significance of the communities in the region. Coridius adii is named after the Adi tribe, one of the major groups inhabiting along the Siang valley, who consume this species for food.
 

This study also led to the rediscovery of Coridius fuscus, Coridius laosanus and Coridius assamensis, which were not known for over 100 years.

According to the researchers, during a socio-economic survey conducted among the local people, they observed that while these bugs were a popular delicacy, the consumption of the darker coloured bugs was neurotoxic. Those affected become photophobic, exhibiting behaviour such as wanting to hide under carpets or beds. Local belief holds that a person begins to act like the bug, which hides under stones or retreats into cracks. If medical treatment is not sought, this behaviour can persist for an extended period.

The researchers have now identified this bug as a species new to science and named it Coridius esculentus. Furthermore, according to native people consuming another bug, now identified as Cordius Chinesis, problems such as dizziness, nausea and vomiting has been noticed in some individuals. It can also lead to a loss of strength and condition of semi-consciousness in certain people, said the study.
 

More than 500 tribes of different ethnic groups with distinct cultural entities inhabit the region. These distinct tribes have a rich indigenous traditional knowledge system on the use of components of biodiversity for their daily sustenance, like food, fodder, shelter and healthcare, said the researchers.

“Many of these resources, albeit their wide use by the traditional communities have not been scientifically surveyed. The people have been using insects and snails in varied ways, such as for edible, medicinal, industrial and cultural purposes. There is a serious threat of erosion and even complete loss of this valuable knowledge forever unless certain effective measures are taken up to codify and protect this knowledge,” said Dharma Rajan.

Northeast India, a major biodiversity hotspot, boasts a rich diversity of flora and fauna, as well as diverse indigenous communities. The researchers mentioned that the discovery of Coridius adii, Coridius esculentus and Coridius insperatus suggests there were likely many more species yet to be found, opening new avenues for scientific exploration and conservation efforts.

Entomophagy is an age-old tradition across the world, especially among indigenous communities. Around 2 billion people regularly eat insects as part of their diet and over 2,000 species of insects are listed out as edible.

The United Nations in its August 2019 report on climate change and land had pointed out that insects are an environment-friendly substitute to meat.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Patna, Bihar.