Diversity and Use of Edible Grasshoppers, Locusts, Crickets, and Katydids (Orthoptera) in Madagascar

Abstract

Madagascar has a long history of using Orthoptera as food and feed. Our understanding of the biological diversity of this resource, its contemporary use, and its future potentials in Madagascar is extremely limited. The present study contributes basic knowledge of the biological diversity and local uses of edible Orthoptera in Malagasy food cultures. Data was collected with key informants in 47 localities covering most of the ecoregions of Madagascar and corresponding to 12 of the 19 ethnic groups. Orthoptera are consumed throughout Madagascar. We report 37 edible Orthoptera species, of which 28 are new species records of edible Orthoptera in Madagascar and 24 are new species records of edible Orthoptera in the world. Most species are endemic and occur in farming zones. Children are the primary collectors and consumers of edible Orthoptera. The insects are eaten both as snacks and main meals. Edible Orthoptera are primarily collected casually and marketing is rare, with the notable exceptions of the large cricket Brachytrupes membranaceus colosseus and during locust outbreaks (e.g., Locusta migratoria). The use of Orthoptera as feed seems rare. Further investigations of cultural and personal preferences are required to assess the future potential roles of Orthoptera in Malagasy food habits.

Nutritional Composition of Apis mellifera Drones from Korea and Denmark as a Potential Sustainable Alternative Food Source: Comparison Between Developmental Stages

“…In the past few decades, following an earlier suggestion by Meyer-Rochow [1] to consider insects in combatting global nutritional impasses, insects have received significant attention as a potential sustainable food item for humans. Entomophagy, i.e., the practice of eating insects [2], has existed and still exists as a cultural attribute in many different traditional communities around the globe [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11].…”

Insects Used as Food and Feed: Isn’t That What We All Need?

“…Inhabitants of the island of Madagascar, as Joost Van Itterbeeck and colleagues [ 38 ] could show, have a long history of using especially insects belonging to the Orthoptera as a traditional food. Thirty-seven edible species were recorded.…”

Edible crickets, but which species?

“…In Java Indonesia the cricket T. mitratus 1 is also farmed as food (Fuah et al, 2015). In Madagascar the large cricket Brachytrupes membranaceus colosseus is sold individually (3-6 dollar cents) and specifically sought after when meat is expensive and when no other rice accompaniments are available (Van Itterbeeck et al, 2019). The same publication mentions several other edible cricket species such as Modicogryllus sp.…”