Winged termites are common sights in the eastern part of Nigeria during rainy season. As children we use to keep big bowls of water near fluorescent lights at night to trap these termites because they love light so much that the brighter the light, the more they will be. Once they swarm towards the light we use palm brooms to beat them into the water thereby demobilizing them. They are de-winged, cleaned and roasted with dry frying pan. Food is ready.
The sight of fried winged termite today at MCC by Wetheral junction Owerri, was a reminiscent of my childhood days. I saw ‘aku ebe’ as it is called in the east on display, garnished with onions and pepper. Trust me opportunities like this can’t passed me by, I just have to get a bite. Tasting the tantalizing fried termite made my day, even though is now expensive, small tin tomatoes cup goes for a hundred naira.
I am grateful how colorful and diverse our community is. Here you may find so different and even challenging variations of various cultures and tastes.
I have never eaten termites, actually I have never seen such. And if I have to be completely honest, I am not sure I would try such I am sorry :). But I am curious to see what other fellow Local Guides think about your region’s specialty.
By the way, the first photo of your post does not appear to be your own and is in violation of the Local Guides program rules. I would like to ask you to edit your post and replace it with an image that you have taken your self or have a permission to use. For tips on creating your own great posts on Connect, please see this post.
Scream! I’m sorry, I’m not good at eating insects. But my mother’s generation likes to eat sweet and salty locusts and hornet larvae. When I was a kid, my uncle had brought a hornet’s nest.
By the way, Japanese termites are small and nest in wooden houses and break them, so people dislike them. There are also professional exterminators.
@ogewuru … It’s difficult for me to say if I would try them or I will afraid and avoid. I don’t know…but…as a woman who cook food for the family I have a question which disturbs me: how long does it take to tear off all wings from all those pile of termites ?
I didnt know it’s called winged termites. My dad eats it raw. I can remember on two occasion he gave it to me to eat but I rejected it. I was only irritated seeing him chew it like with so much joy.
I asked him the special nutrient of this meal and he told me that it was highly proteinous. Thanks for sharing @ogewuru and thanks for making me know the english name too. Let me tag one of my Igbo icons to this post @Martin245 . Please kindly share the igbo name and enlighten us to. Thank you
Here in Bulgaria as well as in Europe, people experience horror at the sight of this type of insect and an even greater horror at cooking it. I am also one of these people. I’m sorry I’m so direct, but it’s true
If you @ogewuru and @Austinelewex love to eat Termites, there is nothing better than that for you.
“The heart is a storehouse from which the mind draws the best food!” Pencho Slaveykov - Bulgarian poet
This insect is not harmful at all. And it is very proteinous like any other kind of meat or plant protein. It is very rarely to get and it is somewhat expensive here. I shared a link of its botanical name in my previous comment. You can read a little more about it. And do some research.
Thank you so much for your comment my friend @mockata2
Surprised by the photo, I gave up reading the linked article. I don’t hate insects, and I know that insect food is a protein supplement. However, I am not good at only larvae, which have many legs.
I am sorry :). But I am curious to see what other fellow Local Guides think about your region’s specialty.
,i love it termites with pepper and oinons.we also eat fried crickets in Cameroon
I’m sorry, I’m not good at eating insects. But my mother’s generation likes to eat sweet and salty locusts and hornet larvae.
When I was a kid, my uncle had brought a hornet’s nest.
It’s difficult for me to say if I would try them or I will afraid and avoid. I don’t know…but…as a woman who cook food for the family I have a question which disturbs me: how long does it take to tear off all wings from all those pile of termites 
?
