Bug-oil after bamboo flowering

Aizawl, Apr 23 (UNI) Close to the rare phenomenan of bamboo flowering, people are having a field day eating and swathing stink-bugs.

Swarms of 'Thangnang', the Mizo name of a hemipteran bug, could not be usually seen in the region during normal years. Earlier, the forefarthers here used to observe these 'Thangnang' arrival just before bamboo flowering, which is again expected in the region during 2007 and now the experts and scientists here convinced that this was a precursor to the phenomenon.

The appearance of these bugs first reported last year near North Sabual village, of Mamit district, which were slightly bigger than houseflies, could produce a kind of oil, which the locals believe that it is one of healthiest diet.

The village people cut the trees or branches, where large number of bugs landed and when they fall on the ground, they use to collect them in gunny bags or bamboo baskets for extracting oil and other things.

''We usually 20 to 30 in numbers had collected as much as 20 kgs, when the swarms of bugs appeared in our village'', a 65-year old Lalrinmawia told UNI.

ёThe best way to extract oil is to kill them first with hot water and then grinding it. After that, they were put on a clean piece of white cloth and filtered the residues. It was then treated over a fire by a frying pan or pots and then the oil and other matters are separatedҒ, he added.

''Most of them sell 250ml oil Rs 25'', he said.

Some oils in the market are not pure and complete.

Many are extended with chemical adulterants or non-organic, non-pure vegetable oils, which contain hazardous toxins. But this oil is not only good for health but also very tasty, C Lalramliana, from Khatla locality in Aizawl said adding ''unfortunately we get this oil only once in 50 years''.

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