Villagers hunt bamboo beetle larvae in Phayao

Khaosod•Society•18d ago

Reader Briefing

Villagers in Phayao Province hunt for bamboo beetle larvae during the seasonal growth of bamboo shoots.

•Villagers in Ban Tham Subdistrict, Dok Kham Tai District, Phayao Province are hunting bamboo beetle larvae.
•The activity takes place during the late rainy season and early winter when bamboo shoots grow.
•Bamboo beetle larvae are consumed for their high protein and believed health benefits.
•The larvae are collected for personal consumption and for sale to generate income.

•On September 2, 2026, reports emerged of villagers in Ban Tham Subdistrict, Dok Kham Tai District, Phayao Province hunting bamboo beetle larvae.
•Bamboo beetle larvae are found in bamboo shoots that grow 1-2 meters long during the transition from the rainy season to winter.
•Paijit explained that finding larvae requires experience and observation of marks on the bamboo shoots before carefully cutting the bark with a knife.
•The beetle larvae are described as soft, creamy white with brown heads, measuring approximately 2-4 centimeters in length.
•Popular menus include bamboo beetle larvae stir-fried with salt, crispy fried bamboo beetle larvae, and herb-stir-fried larvae.
•Villagers believe eating bamboo beetle larvae provides strength and enhances sexual performance due to high protein content.
•Bamboo beetle larvae are considered seasonal forest products that are difficult to find and only available for a short period each year.
•Villagers collect the larvae for food or sell them to generate income.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Paijit(ไพจิตร)

A person who shared knowledge on how to identify and extract bamboo beetle larvae from bamboo shoots.

Ban Tham Subdistrict(ตำบลบ้านถ้ำ)

The location in Dok Kham Tai District where villagers hunt for bamboo beetle larvae.

Dok Kham Tai District(อ.ดอกคำใต้)

The district in Phayao Province where the bamboo beetle larvae hunting occurs.

Phayao Province(จ.พะเยา)ℹ️

The province where the reports of hunting bamboo beetle larvae originated.