Nsenene
Encyclopedia
Nsenene is the Luganda name for a long-horned grasshopper
(more commonly called bush cricket or katydid) that is a central Uganda
n delicacy as well as an important source of income. The insect
is also eaten in neighbouring areas of Kenya
and Tanzania
. Traditionally in Uganda, nsenene were collected by children and women. They were given to the women’s husbands in return for a new gomasi (a traditional dress for women). Although the women were made to do the treacherous work of collecting nsenene, they were never allowed to eat them. It was believed that women who consume nsenene would bear children with deformed heads like those of a conocephaline bush cricket. Nowadays, nsenene are consumed by most women in the areas where this insect is traditionally eaten.
n species
. Specimens from southern Africa
have been synonymised with this species, but further research may show them to belong in fact to a different species. The species that occurs most commonly in Africa is R. baileyi and this is actually the correct scientific name of nsenene. This does not exclude the possibility that among the nsenene caught for consumption there may occasionally be a different species, like R. differens, R. persimilis or R. punctipennis.
Grasshopper
The grasshopper is an insect of the suborder Caelifera in the order Orthoptera. To distinguish it from bush crickets or katydids, it is sometimes referred to as the short-horned grasshopper...
(more commonly called bush cricket or katydid) that is a central Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
n delicacy as well as an important source of income. The insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
is also eaten in neighbouring areas of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. Traditionally in Uganda, nsenene were collected by children and women. They were given to the women’s husbands in return for a new gomasi (a traditional dress for women). Although the women were made to do the treacherous work of collecting nsenene, they were never allowed to eat them. It was believed that women who consume nsenene would bear children with deformed heads like those of a conocephaline bush cricket. Nowadays, nsenene are consumed by most women in the areas where this insect is traditionally eaten.
Taxonomy
Nsenene is often misidentified as Ruspolia nitidula. In fact, R. nitidula is a EurasiaEurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
n species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
. Specimens from southern Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
have been synonymised with this species, but further research may show them to belong in fact to a different species. The species that occurs most commonly in Africa is R. baileyi and this is actually the correct scientific name of nsenene. This does not exclude the possibility that among the nsenene caught for consumption there may occasionally be a different species, like R. differens, R. persimilis or R. punctipennis.