Ethnobiology of edible palm weevil larvae Rhynchophorus palmarum L. (Curculionidae, Coleoptera), a common food source in Amazonian Ecuador

Abstract

Since ancient times, indigenous communities have depended on traditional and sustainable use of available food sources. Throughout the tropics, the larvae of the palm weevil Rhynchophorus palmarum L. (Curculionidae, Coleoptera) have served this purpose. Several studies have described the ancestral use of R. palmarum as an edible and medicinal insect in the Americas. The use of the grub for food and a system for rearing them are byproducts of the use of palms among several ethnic groups, many of which rely on the same harvesting techniques. The grubs also are used as treatments for several conditions. To better characterise these applications, we developed semi-structured surveys with 58 mostly open-ended questions focused on habitat, food, medicinal use, and commerce of grubs. Respondents were 42 informants from five ethnic groups in Amazonian Ecuador. Analysis indicated that the five groups had similar patterns of use, rearing, and collection of the larvae, but without a structured management plan. Grub collection remains a side activity related to traditional use of palms, but the larvae of this species could offer new opportunities in breeding, commercialisation, and consumption of edible insects as part of a sustainable-use strategy to strengthen food security in Amazonian populations. The potential of the larvae in medicinal use and as a factor in tourism in these regions suggests untapped opportunities with this year-round forest resource.