Table 4.

Traditional collection and preparation methods of the commonly consumed insects in KZN and Limpopo provinces of South Africa.

Insects Group	Insect Order	Consumption Stage	Seasonality	Method of Collection	Collectors	Processing for Preservation Method	Cooking Method
Gynanisa caterpillar	Lepidoptera	Larvae	November–January	Collected from the host plant	Women	Degutted, washed, boiled in salt water, and sun-dried	Fried, roasted, or as a relish
Mopane worms (Imbrasia belina)	Lepidoptera	Larvae	Nov–January; April–May	Collected from Colophospermum mopane	Women	Degutted, washed, boiled in salt water, and sun-dried	Fried, boiled without salt, boiled with salt, roasted, or as a relish
Termites (Macrotermes species)	Blattodea	Winged adult	September–January	Trapped in a large bowl of water near the light source	Women	Killed with boiling water, boiled, and sun-dried	Fried and roasted
Stinkbug (Encosternum delegorguei)	Hemiptera	Adult	May–August	Picked from woodlands	Women	Killed with warm water, cooked, and dried	Fried, roasted
Cirina forda	Lepidoptera	Larvae	Nov–Feb	Picked from the host tree	Women	Degutted, washed, boiled in salt water, and sun-dried	Fried, boiled, boiled with salt, roasted, or as a relish
Edible grasshopper/locust (Locustana and Zonocerous species)	Orthoptera	Adult		Picked from grassland	Women and children	Dewinged, degutted, killed in hot water and roasted	Fried, roasted
Carebara vidua	Hymenoptera	Adult	All year round	Picked from grassland	Women and children	Eaten raw	Eaten raw
Cicadoidea spp.	Hemiptera	Adult		Picked from grasslands		Killed with warm water, cooked, and dried	Fried, roasted