Green grasshoppers-a wonderful recipe and source of protein.

Hello Steemians,
Grasshoppers are a group of insects in the suborder Caelifera and are among what is probably the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects. This implies that they strictly live on weeds or grasses.
They are typically ground-dwelling insects with powerful hind legs which allow them to escape from threats by leaping vigorously. As hemimetabolous insects, they do not undergo complete metamorphosis; they hatch from an egg into a nymph or "hopper" which undergoes five moults, becoming more similar to the adult insect at each developmental stage.

At high population densities and under certain environmental conditions, some grasshopper species can change color and behavior and form swarms. Under these circumstances, they are known as locusts.

However, a majority of these species are more likely seasonal. That is, it population is high during the dry season precisely October to November for the long pointed head grasshoppers. During this said period in the Western Highlands of Cameroon especially in the North West Region, the insect is usually been haunted or trapped. This insect mostly flies more at night following the source of light and particular lights. Not all grasshopper species are edible as such some turn to be pests on food crops.

As such its hunters usually set up drum guarded with sheets of zinc with the lights placed directly above such that by wanting to settle on the bulbs, they fall into the drums and are collected the following day by the hunter or same night for fear of loosing them to thieves.
Anyway which is of course dangerous to health is by using chemicals to spray. This system is noticed when one consumes these insects caught using this approach, one normally after some time starts having stomach disorder, as such consumers have often been running away from such sources.

These green grasshoppers when gathered by their hunters are often boiled before frying or drying , after which they are packaged and marketed. They can also be roasted as put in small cleaned sawyer sticks. A packet of grasshoppers usually costs 100frs, and many people do make lots of income from its sales.

Generally, they are very nice and can be eaten solely, so please endeavor to have a taste if you have never had. It is a wonderful experience nature has thus blessed us with so we strive preserving them. Unfortunately , we did not experience its catch in a serious way this year due to the increasing insecurity due to the Anglophone crisis rocking the region.