The practice of eating insects is common among the ethnic schedule tribes (plains and hills) of North eastern part of India. In Assam, this practice is more prevalent among the Bodos and Rabha tribes, the earliest immigrants in Assam. Bodos, one of the culturally rich community of Assam consumes insects as their traditional diet. The present investigation is carried out in some remote villages of Udalguri District, BTAD, Assam. Altogether 23 species of edible insects belonging order Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera, Lepidoptera, Isoptera and Odonata comprising 21 genera and 16 families have been recorded. It is found that the Giant water bug (Lethocerusindicus, Hem, Belostomatidae) and the Eri silk worm larvae (Samiaricini, Lep, Saturniidae) are more preferred species considering their size and availability. Consumption of insects is more common during festival, for therapeutic purpose and some as the component of folk medicine. Considering the high protein content and supplements such as minerals and vitamins, the practice of entomophagy may contribute towards solving the protein shortage in this region. The indigenous knowledge gathered during present investigation is likely to prove particularly useful in carrying out further research.
