People in Nghi Xuan wear lanterns to hunt for the "specialty" sesame beetle.

Hunting sesame beetles not only helps control pests for crops, but these insects are also a "specialty" dish of the people in Xuan Thanh commune (Nghi Xuan district, Ha Tinh province ).

VIDEO : Following the people of Nghi Xuan as they catch sesame beetles.

As dusk falls, the people of Xuan Thanh commune prepare their equipment such as tarpaulins, nets, flashlights, plastic buckets, etc., and then call out to each other to go out to the fields to catch sesame beetles.

According to locals, to catch a large number of sesame beetles, one should choose solitary casuarina trees growing in fields or sandy areas. These are the places where sesame beetles usually reside.

People in Xuan Thanh wear lanterns to hunt sesame beetles.

Upon discovering the location, the villagers would signal each other with shouts. These cheerful sounds made the atmosphere in the field much livelier and more boisterous.

Under the casuarina trees, there are many aphids. People will spread out a large tarp and place a flashlight in the middle of the tarp, pointing the light towards the tree. Then, they use a stick or their hands to vigorously shake the tree trunk, causing the aphids to fall or fly towards the flashlight's beam. Some people waiting nearby use nets to catch or collect the fallen aphids, putting them into plastic buckets.

Shining lights and spreading tarpaulins downwind is a traditional method used by the people of Xuan Thanh to hunt sesame beetles.

Ms. Pham Thi Liem (residing in Thanh Phu village, Xuan Thanh commune) - a seasoned sesame beetle hunter in the area - said: "Every year, from mid-March to early April of the lunar calendar, there are many sesame beetles. My family takes advantage of this time to catch them for food, and if we catch a lot, we sell them to earn extra income. This insect is processed into rustic dishes considered 'specialties' such as grilled or stir-fried with lime leaves. The current selling price is quite high, around 200,000 VND/kg."

Sesbania beetles are being sold for around 200,000 VND per kilogram.

It is known that the life cycle of the sesame beetle lasts from 35-45 days, with the following stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The weight of an adult sesame beetle is 3-5 grams. Sesame beetles usually appear between 6 PM and 9 PM daily.

Sesbania grandiflora beetles are used to prepare many delicious dishes such as grilled or stir-fried with lime leaves.

Having just caught a large haul of sesame beetles, Ms. Phan Thi Huyen Trang (residing in Thanh Phu village, Xuan Thanh commune) happily said: “In my hometown, people have been catching sesame beetles to prepare dishes for a long time. Recently, many people in and outside the commune have become aware of and like this dish, so they frequently order from our family. During this time, from about 6 PM to 10 PM each day, my family will have 2-3 people going hunting. Each night we harvest about 7-8 kg of sesame beetles.”

Catching sesame beetles provides a decent income for Phan Thi Huyen Trang's family.

For the people of Xuan Thanh commune, hunting sesame beetles not only helps control pests for crops but also serves as a food source, a unique "specialty" dish. It is known that this year the sesame beetles are more numerous and larger in size than in previous years, so the people are very excited.

Mr. Tan - Thanh Nam

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/ve-ha-tinh/nguoi-dan-nghi-xuan-doi-den-san-dac-san-bo-vung/248176.htm