Fried Bamboo Insects in Yunnan

Bamboo insects are also called bamboo bees. They nibble tender bamboo shoots for nutrients, grow from a size as a grain of rice to that as a finger in 20 days. They parasite inside the bamboo, nibble from the bamboo tip downwards to the bottom and hide in the root. They stop nibbling when they get fat and ready to break out from the cocoon. Bamboo insects are rich in high protein and amino acid. They look fat and white, about 3 cm long, shape like a spindle, round as a ball with thin eyes and little black mouth. Some think they are lovely while some think they are disgusting. But bamboo insects taste sweet, just like the flavor or cream, crispy and delicious, really good and rare dish.

Larva bamboo insects shape like long barrel with a milky white color, rich in protein, amino acids, fatty acids, mineral elements, vitamins and other nutrients. Among them, the protein content is up to 30%~40%, the amino acid content is 29.90%, the crude fat content is 60.42%, and the unsaturated fatty acid content is 55.9%, thus the nutrition is rich. It tastes really fresh and delicious after frying, making it the first choice as liquor mate.