Ethnoentomological knowledge of an edible insect (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in a peri urban area of Mexico City

Abstract

Human interactions with insects are represented in a wide range of manifestations. This has been evinced in what is called ethnoentomological knowledge, in other words, the knowledge about insects that is passed on through time within a community. In Isidro Fabela, a semi-rural municipality located in the surroundings of the metropolitan area of Mexico City, the inhabitants know the larvae of a beetle as chizas. Children up to the elderly consume them through different cooking methods. However, to date, this had not been investigated yet. Therefore, due to the lack of studies, our first task was to find out its taxonomic identity and document the ethnoentomological knowledge through 33 personal interviews following a semi-structured form and participatory observation. Results indicate that chizas are the larvae of Trichoderes pini Chevrolat 1843, a cerambycid species related to decaying wood and found for the first time in the study area. The term chiza comes from the Otomi indigenous language that means ‘the one who eats wood’ and people recognise their importance as contributors to the wood degradation process in the forest. Although for most people chizas consumption is mainly regarded as a hobby or traditional practice, for some people selling them represents an opportunity to earn an extra income. Finally, a decrease in chizas occurrence was found, probably because of the rural-urban transition process, absence of regulations concerning the wild insects’ exploitation, and public policies for fire and forest management. We suggest that the knowledge that inhabitants have and is presented in this paper, should be shared and promoted for a future implementation of conservation strategies including their sustainable management, together with more academic research.