A. Species
Scientific name: Vespa basalis
Common name(s): Black-bellied hornet
Global IUCN Red List Threat Status:
B. Location of use
Geographic location(s):
- Manipur
Country/Region: India / Manipur
C. Scale of assessment
Scale of assessment: Individual Site
Name/Details of location: Manipur / Wino Bazaar and Phungyar Bazaar in the Ukhrul district (24º-25.41ºN, 94º-94.47ºE)
D. Timescale of use
Start Year: 2015
End Year: 2017
E. Information about the use
How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Type of use: Extractive
Practice of use: Hunting and/or Trapping of live terrestrial and aerial animals
Lethal or non-lethal: Lethal
Does this use involve take/extraction of: The whole entire organism
Purpose(s) of end use: Food and feed
Motivation of use: Income generation from trade (individual/household/community)
Is this use legal or illegal?: unknown
F. Information about the Users
Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: Local people
G. Information about the sustainability of use
Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: No, sustainability not determined
Details of assessment carried out: This study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The study cautions only that this uncontrolled exploitation, harvesting of edible hornet larvae from the wild, could lead to ecological consequences which to date remain largely unexplored.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: No, sustainability not determined
Details of assessment carried out: This study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Sustainability is not explicitly assessed, however, a typical 20cm sq piece of nest sells for c. USD 18, which the study considers a 'high cost' relative to the local economy. Economically, eating hornets is a customary practice of the Tanhkhul people in Ukhrul district; however, poor people cannot afford to eat or buy horney broods because of their high price for everyday consumption, only for festivals or special occasions; typically, when a married daughter receives a visit from her mother or mother-in-law, she will make hornet grub curry.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: This study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: If, ultimately, hornet harvesting tips into severe decline, then those traditions based on this practice will diminish.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable
Details of assessment carried out: This study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Consumption is safe, but risk of getting stung during harvesting.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: not recorded
Details of assessment carried out: This study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Welfare criteria don't really apply to hornets, although they are killed.
Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species
The study recognizes the nutritious potential of hornet brood consumption (protein, vitamins and micronutrients) and encourages the promotion of domestication and cultivation of this resource to better supply local needs.
Record source
Information about the record source: scientific_pub
Date of publication/issue/production: 2019-01-01T00:00:00+0000
Source Reference(s):
Date of record entry: 2022-12-16