Considered a true delicacy, the mopane worm is widely consumed in rural areas of southern Africa. Being highly nutritious makes it an important source of protein for a lot of households in these areas. Scientifically known as the Gonimbrasia Belina, the mopane worm is in fact the brightly coloured spiky caterpillar of the Emperor moth. They are one of the larger caterpillars, nearly as long as a finger and as thick as a cigar.
For the majority of the people in the western world, eating insects or eating bugs is welcomed with feelings of aversion and disgust. Yet for a lot of other people, entomophagy or the consumption of edible insects and edible bugs is part of their staple diet.
In 2013, the FAO (Food & Agriculture Organisation of the UN) published a study about the consumption of insects and recommends it as a nutritious and ecologically friendly source of food. This means that even in the western world, the role of edible insects in a healthy diet could slowly increase in importance.
Mopane worms in African culture are considered a true delicacy
In English language they are called mopane worms because it feeds on the leaves of the mopane trees. Locally they are called macimbi and mashonja in Zimbabwe, phane in Botswana and omagungu in Namibia.
Mopane worms are edible insects
The mopane worm is an edible caterpillar or one of the edible worms and it feeds mainly on the leafs of the mopane tree, hence its name. During harvest time which takes place a few weeks into the rainy season, hundreds of families hand pick them from the trees. The innards of the caterpillar worm are carefully squeezed out after which they are dried in the sun, smoked or boiled for preservation. In certain cases they are also preserved in cans. The dried mopane worms, also called mopani worm, can be stored for usage throughout the year and are mostly sold at local markets in rural areas or in supermarkets in the bigger cities.
Mopane worms nutritional value – a high source of protein
For most families in rural villages in Southern Africa, it is an easily obtainable and cheap source of protein. The mopane worms contain three times as much protein as beef, giving it a lot of benefits of eating mopane worms. On the other hand, it is also considered to be a million dollar industry in southern Africa where the worms are exported to some european countries. Mopani worms are eaten in among others Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and certain regions of South Africa.
How cook mopane worms
The mopane worm can either be eaten dried as a crispy snack, or fried to perfection with a pinch of salt. Another cooking method for this traditional Africa food is to cook the mopane worms in a delicious stew with either tomato, onion and chilli or a peanut sauce. It is often served with sadza and green vegetables. Sadza, also known as pap in South Africa, is a maiz porridge which is a staple food in Southern Africa.
The eye of the worm is literally the eye catcher and will be eaten as well, except in parts of Botswana were the eye is removed before consumption.
What do Mopane worms taste like?
The Boma restaurant, part of the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge in Victoria Falls serves many mouth watering local dishes and fried worms is one of them. For the brave ones that try at least one, they will receive a special certificate.
I tried my first mopane worm in The Boma restaurant, so I got the certificate. The worm was grilled and looked very well done. It tasted like very well done steak. Not bad, but I didn’t try a second one, at the time. The Boma restaurant is located by the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.
A few years later I visited a rural village in Zimbabwe with some tourists and we were invited to join them for a lovely traditional meal. We got served sadza (maize porridge) with lot’s of mopane worms bought at a local market. The whole village was very eager to see if we would like this dish and were standing around to watch us taking our first bite. I still remembered the worms not tasting too bad in the Boma restaurant, so I didn’t mind eating them again.
But we each got at least 15 of these creepy crawlies on a plate which was maybe a bit much for my taste buds, especially when the one big black eye was looking at me and it still seemed to be alive, fried or not. I think I managed to eat about 5 worms, and then invited the rest of the village children to join me. Full of joy they attacked the plate and were very happy for this delicious meal…and so was I.
For the ones wanting to try a true local African dish, treat yourself to a delicious meal of mopane worms, cooked to your liking. Mopane worms are definitely one of the bugs you can eat.
OMG, I can`t believe you ate these mopane worms! I am not sure I would be that brave! I have tried fried crickets in Thailand and Cambodia, but they don`t taste much to be honest, but are really crunchy. 🙂 Would love to go to Africa some day, it is next on our bucket list! But think I will stay away from these worms! hehe
Hi Maria, actually the flavour of these worms is not that bad. It is just the thought of eating the worms, because we are not used to it. When we were in this local village it would not have been nice not to try them since they made the effort cooking them for us. But a full plate was just too much 🙂
Africa is a beautiful continent and highly recommended to visit. The worms, well, you don’t find them on the menu in many places, lucky you 😉
Hi Maria, I’m South African and regard Mopane worms as a delicacy it’s an acquired taste just like Shushi. I love pizza and sea food but nothing beats my Mopane worm craving, it tastes like chicken, hope you try them someday.
I’ve eaten several insects on my travels, but never a mopane worm. It’s almost a shame to eat it because it’s so beautiful 🙂
You are right, they look very beautiful and colourful. But there are lot’s of them and it feeds many people. They do taste nice (if you don’t eat too many of them at once 😀 )
I had the exact same thought as Miriam about the beauty of the worm! I’ve tried grasshoppers at a Beijing night market, and I’d say they tasted like chicken…
Hi, nice post, I like your adventurous attitude towards food! I have spent several years working as renewable energy engineer and sustainability consultant so fully aware that a global shift to more environmentally food sources can only be a good thing. I am travelling at the moment and last week I tried my first insect – silkworm pupae (Beondagi) in Korea. It was the nastiest thing I have ever tasted. The taste remained for several hours. I used to hold the opinion that it was only the thought of insects that prevents their take up in Western countries but after this first experience, I think some work is needed to mask the taste and smell. In the case of silkworms anyway!
Hi, what an experience you had with the silk worm! The mopane worms have a pretty nice flavour, depending on how it is prepared of course. So maybe don’t give up yet your insect tasting experiences, but maybe not the silk worm anymore 🙂
They look interesting, I wouldn’t mind trying them one day! One question though – the worms look like they have spikes on your photo. Do they remove the spikes first or do they feel spiky when you eat them?
Hi Minka,
Those spikes are a lot smaller than they look, this is a macro photo, so hugely magnified. The ‘spikes’ soften and mostly fall out when cooked. You won’t really notice them, the taste is far more noticeable 😉
I don’t think I could eat insects and crunchy things…I don’t even eat small fish which we traditionally fry in Greece. The only thing I’ve eaten are snails…which didn’t taste that bad, but they were cooked in oil+rosemary…so they tasted like rosemary!!!
It tastes actually not that bad at all, but I guess it is just the thought of eating insects that makes people not want to eat it. At least the snails tasted like rosemary 🙂
I realized I am brave in a lot of things except food. I can’t bring myself to eat these kinds of things. They are common in THailand, insects as food but I really can’t. I feel like I am going to puke. But kudos to you for bravery.
Thanks!! The first time I only tried one, but when we visited the village, we just could not refuse, it would not have been nice. At least I managed to eat a few 🙂
The bravest I’ve been is trying crickets in Thailand, but I don’t think I’d try the worms. Smart thing you did there by inviting the children to join you! 🙂
Indeed, and the children loved to eat the Mopane worms 🙂
They are delicious i ate them since i was young they are not the only insects we eat
we also eat termites and some locusts
Yep we have these in Zambia too. They are very popular and ooooh so delicious! 😀
I love Mopani Worms. They took me a while to get used to the taste though. I havent tried locusts and termites as yet.
No, me neither, I have only tried the Mopane worms. I have no idea if it will taste the same or not, maybe one day I’ll try them as well, if I get the opportunity.
Despite you saying that they weren’t bad, I read this whole article with my hand over my mouth in the event that my computer was going to divulge one for me to eat.
Being a vegetarian, I can only admire your grit in eating worms, hats off! 🙂
Mmmmm, is this a caterpillar that would turn into a butterfly? (sorry, my zoology is not great when it come to insects!). I have a huge, colossal phobia for butterflies so if this is somewhat their relative, I might have to give it a miss. If this is a worm, on the other end, for the sake of curiosity I might even possibly try it 😉
actually sorry, I just read that it would turn into a moth (I hate them so much my sight blurred when reading it the first time ;-0)
If there’s one thing I avoid eating, it is these creepy-crawlies. But I understand that these are a perfect protein source in places where proteinous food may be expensive!
They look amazing but not sure I’d be willing to give them a go. Maybe with some chili. I tried crickets and larvae in Thailand, managed to get a cricket leg stuck in my throat. That was a interesting trip to the hospital!
Nope. Nope nope nope. Lol.
I know it’s mostly a mind game but I don’t think I could do it. I think it’s important for my protein to not look like an animal anymore.
Yikes! I’ve never eaten an insect. Not yet, at least. I think if I travel to a destination where it is a delicacy or part of the regular diet, I’ll try it. Like a bite at least. I tried Cuy (Guinea Pig) in Peru because it is considered a delicacy there, but it wasn’t for me. Escargot is considered a delicacy and it’s a snail — though I wouldn’t eat a snail off the ground, I didn’t mind escargot in a prepared dish at all. When it comes to trying different meats during my travels, it all depends on how it is prepared and how easily I can forget what it was when it was alive.
We loved The Boma, great experience. Neither of us tried the worms. (Not the fried crickets in Thailand.) And we are both pretty adventurous eaters. So well done to you. And thanks for the memories of The Boma, it has been a long time!
The Boma is a lovely restaurant and traditional experience. I loved it too and not only for eating the worms 🙂
I know that eating insects has been popular and sustainable but I have never tried any yet…good you mingled with the locals and tried it out.They look beautiful for sure!
They are very colourful indeed and look pretty (when not cooked) 🙂
Seeing that I was born and grew up in Africa it’s embarrassing to say that I was an adult when I tasted my first mopane worm. I definitely prefer the dried biltong/jerky ones to the fresher ones, which are much harder to chew and swallow.
I actually only tried the dried ones. I don’t know if I would even eat the fresh ones 😀
Growing up in Africa I’ve seen people eating these. I’ve tried them and gosh I love them, there are times when I actually crave them. And just like you I only ate the dried ones, heard some eat fresh ones but mmmm I don’t think I can
Oh wow, well you gotta try it don’t you? I’ve never tried insects before but I would definitely say YOLO and give it a go if I was visiting 🙂
So right, YOLO, so why not trying something that others find a delicacy 😉
Masonja are a nice snack and a delicious relish. They might look creepy to the sight but very delicious.
Where can I buy them in Johannesburg. I checked in Roodepoort, but they are not fresh (are stale)
To be honest, we are not exactly sure where to buy them in South Africa, but you can get them almost anywhere in Zimbabwe.
you can buy them in marabastad or pretoria plenty of them, also try park station in Jhb.
Trevor Noah describes eating mopane worms in his book, “Born a Crime.” His family resorted to them at a time when they were very poor. Mr. Noah called eating the worms, “Disgusting.”
I tried mopane worms meal at one of the better restaurant in Zimbabwe. But I recall it was a bit of an expensive dish and I was on a budget – I wish I had taken some photos before eating them As I recall the dish cost about US $20 which is a lot of money. To me the protein reminded me of chicken under all the spices. I would go back just to try it again though!!!!