Hi friends, do you know this insect?
This is called a weevil larva.it is an edible insect mostly eaten by Africans and Asian
In some parts of Asia, weevil larvae or similar insect larvae are often called by specific regional names.
In Nigeria, the larvae are often called EFO or APE These larvae are highly prized as a source of protein in some regions and are often eaten fried, roasted, or added to soups.
In some parts of Africa, the larvae may be referred to as NGOLO (particularly when talking about palm weevil larvae).
In some other African cultures, they might be known as bush meat or simply categorized as edible insects.
The preparation and consumption of these larvae are common in traditional diets particularly in rural areas where they are seen as an affordable and nutritious food source.
Recently, I was scrolling through my mother’s phone and saw this picture. I immediately remembered that I was the one who took it and recalled the situation at that time.
I took this picture when we visited our village. One day, one of my uncles came back home with these weevil larvae, looking very happy. He said he hadn’t eaten them in a long time and had been craving them. That day, he had gone to hunt for them himself. According to him, they were one of his favorite foods when he lived in the village. However, since leaving, he hadn’t been able to eat them as much as he wanted. So, upon returning to the village this time, he promised himself he would finally enjoy them again.
I was sitting near our village square when he returned. Seeing the happiness on his face, I followed him back home to find out what was making him so excited.
When we arrived, he brought out the weevil larvae. I was very surprised and a bit annoyed. I thought to myself, I left where I was going just for this? I quickly tried to run back to meet up with my friends, but they had already gone far. I started regretting following him, but I had no other choice but to go back.
I was planning to ask him, Uncle, what is this nah? But to my surprise, when we reached the house, I saw some of my village friends, my father, and many others urging him to cook the weevils so they could have their share.
Even with everyone’s excitement, I still asked, Uncle, are you really going to eat this thing? He looked at me, and suddenly, everyone around burst into laughter. It felt strange, but I told myself, Maybe they’re not really going to eat it. Maybe they need it to prepare medicine or something.
But after preparing it, both my friends, my father, and many others joined him in eating. Some of them said it had been a long time since they last ate it and that they had been craving it. Despite all the praise they were giving the weevil larvae, I couldn’t bring myself to try it.
Later, my father explained that it was sweet and had a kind of milky taste.
Seeing this picture recently brought back the memory, and I found it funny, so I decided to share it.
Do you know about this weevil?
What is it called in your village?
Have you eaten it before? How does it taste?
First image is mine, second and third images are generated by AI