Did anyone see any of these on the wing in Hua Hin this past rainy season? They're a nice green colour when alive. I didn't see any alive and flying at all over here in Rayong and it's the first year in these parts that I haven't. I imagine they're now found in Issan and the Central area primarily. All that I've seen over the past many years have only been about 3" long, as per above photo and below bug eating gallery. Years ago they were on average 5-6" and when they landed on you at night, especially the back of your neck, you would jump for the moon. If you're into Thai bug eating, they may be the best tasting. You bite off the end though and suck out the insides rather than consume the entire bug. This puts a lot of people off. Anyway, for the adventurous tourist, it may be something to put on your list. I'm sure Hua Hin has some stalls in the market area each night. Pete
The locals like eating them, that's true.........as for,
EDIT: Just FYI, maengda is also the Thai word for a pimp. Why so I've never received a clear explanation.
Think it's because in nature the male bugs live off the back of the females and do sweet FA, hence the Thais calling a pimp by the same name as there is something in common.
Spitfire wrote:The locals like eating them, that's true.........as for,
EDIT: Just FYI, maengda is also the Thai word for a pimp. Why so I've never received a clear explanation.
Think it's because in nature the male bugs live off the back of the females and do sweet FA, hence the Thais calling a pimp by the same name as there is something in common.
Makes sense. Pete
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Mrs deepee makes up a nam prik paste with them, buys them from the main H.H market .They cost around 15 baht each or she gets them for 10 baht in lots of 20 or more. I find that slightly sweet aroma a bit too sickly for my likings .First time my nephew tried them last year he had a really bad reaction to them . Got bad blotches all over his body and had a tingling in the mouth for a day or two .His doctor did note some folks do react to them but it is rare.
A long time ago you could always trust that people were catching these bugs for eating with nets. Nowadays there could well be some unscrupulous people who use sprays to stun them. I have no proof but it's always in the back of my mind if I'm in the mood to snack on some. Pete
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
I've eaten them up in the village and they are caught by the lads using nets
Great substitute for breakfast orange (I don't think)
The kids (10 to 15) hunt during the night and haul it home for breakfast
My lad goes a hunting at 1am in the morning.jpg[/attachment
[attachment=0]Watch out beetles, snakes, rats and frogs.jpg
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RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
Richard, what's your secret for staying so thin? I know you eat and drink a lot from all the restaurant and bar reviews you do on here so I don't understand how you do it.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
After a gorge day I eat very little for the next two days. In Isaan of course it's little and often
RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
[quote="prcscct"]A long time ago you could always trust that people were catching these bugs for eating with nets. Nowadays there could well be some unscrupulous people who use sprays to stun them. I have no proof but it's always in the back of my mind if I'm in the mood to snack on some.
Yeah Pete, and also you might thow in the effects of all the chemical stuff that the farmers use on their plots now.
We used to go out into the paddies and easily catch loads of tiny fresh water shrimps, small cat fish and water snails. Very rare to see them in these times. The old timers say that since urea, in particular, became commonly used that things have changed .
While I don't fancy the idea of chomping down beetles and bugs, I do like the chili paste which is flavored with this particular bugs. In fact, it's the only chili paste I buy.
Don't try to impress me with your manner of dress cos a monkey himself is a monkey no less - cold fact
Pete, are you sure that you aren't confusing the Maengda with the Maengkap? It's the green colouring that is making me ask. My wife and daughter both say that Maengda are always brown (before and after cooking).
In front of our house, we have a little bit of jungle, and my wife had quite a harvest of Maengkap - over about a 6 week period, she went out collecting them daily.
Immediately after harvest:
FB_IMG_13458828479753784b.jpg (125.35 KiB) Viewed 2920 times
After cooking:
FB_IMG_13458879193467812b.jpg (139.92 KiB) Viewed 2920 times
NB: There are certain dishes in our household that I refuse to use now
It could possibly be a 42 year long error on my part. I've actually never heard of a Maengkap, although I can see where the pronunciation and hearing of it could get confused with Maengda. I assume they are both "rice bugs" perhaps in the same species family? I'll punt at this point to Roel, Vincent or others. The wife doesn't know, as the folks raised on the coast don't do bugs that much. Pete
EDIT: Your photo is the shape, size and colour of what I remember from my jungle days here.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
I had never heard of maengkap either until now and I know maengdaa only as being black/brown before and after cooking, certainly not green. I showed Big Boy's picture to Thai staff and they said 'not same maengdaa'. They say these are maengtap (not maengkap) or maengtaptim. They also added 'can eat' but that was obvious. It is written like this: แมลงทับทิม Copy-paste that and search for Google images and you see the green fellows all over your screen, but not the black maengdaa. Then copy-paste maengdaa แมลงดา and you get only black/brown ones, no green.
We are all living in 'the good old days' of the future.
If you're into Thai bug eating, they may be the best tasting. You bite off the end though and suck out the insides rather than consume the entire bug. This puts a lot of people off. Anyway, for the adventurous tourist, it may be something to put on your list. I'm sure Hua Hin has some stalls in the market area each night. Pete 
Makes sense. Pete 
I've actually never heard of a Maengkap, although I can see where the pronunciation and hearing of it could get confused with Maengda. I assume they are both "rice bugs" perhaps in the same species family? I'll punt at this point to Roel, Vincent or others. The wife doesn't know, as the folks raised on the coast don't do bugs that much. Pete 