ABSTRACT
Shanghai Institute of Entomology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chungkin Road (S) 225 Shanghai 200 025, RR. China
Abstract Consideration is given to insects as food in both ancient and present-day China. The most important food insects in China are the ant species Polyrhachis vicina Rogen, which is consumed in various forms such as dried bodies, ant powder, and ant wine, and the honeybee (Apis cerana Fabr. and Apis mellifera L.) and its products. It has been estimated that there are some 6.3 million hives in China with 150 thousand tons of bee products produced annually. Other insects such as the larvae of Bombyx and the bamboo weevil are also consumed but only in restricted areas of the country. Finally consideration is given to the future of insects as a food source in China. More research is urged so that they can be further identified for food or medical use and commercially exploited by con trolled production but without disturbing the natural balance.
