Connaissances préliminaires pour l'élevage de chenilles comestibles au Congo-Brazzaville

peer reviewedHuman consumption of Lepidoptera is a subject of current interest. Though basic information is presently available regarding the diversity of caterpillars eaten in Congo-Brazzaville, no robust data regarding their distribution, reference material, seasonality and life cycle, local names and host-plants is available. The purpose of this article, which also identifies areas that require further study, is to address this gap. Twenty taxa are considered, sixteen of which have been identified to species level. Only two life cycles are known at present. Eighty-nine local caterpillar names are recorded. These caterpillars feed on at least forty host plants. These plants are listed as well as the documentation sources related to them