Edible Insects and their Food Plants in Nagaland-Future Prospects

Globally, edible insects are a delicacy and popularly consumed, however, despite their nutritional and economic potential, little is known about their developmental stages, feeding behaviour and host plants. The current advocacy of edible insects to combat future food security could lead to indiscriminate collection of insect resources. Due to lack of data on their host plants and related habitat associations, many edible insects are at risks of exploitation and ecological damage. the present study is an effort to collect data on the habitat and host plant preference as well as the lifecycle and feeding behaviour of edible insects that occur in Nagaland. Besides, being naturally available in the wild, insects are reported to also feed on cultivated plants. Knowledge on the ecology of insect and host plants as well as proper management, cultivation, semi-domestication and conservation strategies are discussed. These could possibly lead to large-scale production, sustainable utilization of insects as well as the longevity of the plants they are associated with.