From Emperor Moths to Zulu Kings: Early Entomophagy and Charlotte's Web of Missionary Letters

摘要

Entomophagy, the human consumption of insects, has doubtlessly occurred for at least several centuries in Africa, but the earliest recorded accounts go back to the late 1700’s for locusts and winged termite consumption in South Africa (Sparrman 1786; Backhouse 1844; Defoliart 1999). A comprehensive list of insects as human food has been compiled (more than 1000 species, Defoliart 2002; on web) including larvae of moths, especially the large Saturniidae. The earliest written records (in 1840) of caterpillar collection and consumption are reported here for the first time, below.