A study on the prevalence of entomophagy among the Bodos of Assam

Abstract

Entomophagy is a common practice among rural and urban Bodos - a major tribe of Assam, India. A survey was conducted in the remote rural areas of Assam from June, 2013 to May, 2014. The insects collected from various habitats were preserved by following standard methods. An inventory on the knowledge on the wild edible insects of the Bodos of the studied areas is presented here. The study revealed that a total of 25 species of insects, belonging to eight orders and fourteen families are consumed as food by the Bodos. Out of them ten species belong to order Orthoptera, five to the Hymenoptera, three to Coleoptera, two each to Odonata and Hemiptera and one each to Araneae,rnLepidoptera and Isoptera. The ethnozoological knowledge of this tribe ranges from edible to medicinal use. This study aims to make a comprehensive list of edible insects consumed by the Bodos of Assam.