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VOL. 11, ISSUE 2 (2026)
Edible Hymenopterans as a food source, North East India: A review
Authors
R P Liidou, L Khamashon, Ishwar Haobam
Abstract
Entomophagy is part of the culture and practices of many Tribal
community in Northeast India. Many Hymenoptera species are considered edible to
humans, providing nutrition and medicinal properties. Among the Hymenopteran
families, Vespidae remain the highest consumed family, Vespidae:
66%, Apidae: 23%, Formicidae: 5%, Ichneumonidae: 3%, Xylocopidae: 3%. A
total of 35 different edible Hymenopterans have been identified in
Northeast India. Some can be domesticated, while some are semi-domesticated.
Most of the edible Vespid are semi-domesticated and used for commercial
purposes. Honey bees are reared at home mainly for honey production. As
Northeast India mainly comprises Tribal communities, many considered insects a
delicacy. From time immemorial, they have also been using edible Hymenopterans
to treat diverse forms of diseases. Compared to other states in Northeast
India, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland have higher records for
consumption of Hymenopterans. This review article mainly focuses on the
consumption of Hymenopterans and their distribution across different
Northeast states.
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Pages:474-477
How to cite this article:
R P Liidou, L Khamashon, Ishwar Haobam "Edible <i>Hymenopterans</i> as a food source, North East India: A review". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 11, Issue 2, 2026, Pages 474-477
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