VietNamNet Bridge – Coming to a mountainous area near Truong Son Mountain Range in the central region, visitors can experience a unique activity of Co Tu ethnic minority, which is to catch flying termites to make dishes.

Dinh Van Luong and his family catch flying termites using a candle and a washtub of water

Nguyen Van De, an 88-year-old man who has a lot of experience in catching flying termites in Tong Cooi Commune, Ba Village in Dong Giang District, Quang Nam Province, says almost all Co Tu families in the region know how to lure this type of termite.

The flying termite harvest season lasts from the third to the eighth lunar month with the peak harvest falling on the fourth month when the rainy season starts, he says.

“When seeing flying termites, we light up a candle, an oil lamp or turn on an electric bulb and put it in the middle of a wash-tub full of water. The light lures termites and the water traps them. All we have to do is to take termites out of the water.”

Dinh Van Luong, 75, in Phu Tuc Village, Hoa Phu Commune, Hoa Vang District, Danang City, says, “My family can catch up to five kilograms of flying termites a night in the peak season.”

The whole process of catching flying termites only takes half an hour. When using them for food, people will roast them to separate their wings from their bodies and then winnow or use fans to blow away all the wings.

Banh xeo (fried pan cakes) with flying termites are served with wild vegetables

The other way to catch flying termites is getting them in the nest. In doing so, people dig a cone-shaped hole at the area where the termites get out. Right next to the hole, they put a wet banana leaf and above them is a white nylon sheet. When leaving their nest, termites are blocked by the nylon sheet and fall down to the banana leaf.

Dinh Van Bot, a 69-year-old village patriarch in Ta Lau Village, Ba Commune in Dong Giang, says experienced Co Tu people can tell exactly where the termites will appear first and the number of termites in each nest only by looking at their nests.

A 58-year-old woman named A Lang Thi Nha in Ta Lau says flying termite is precious to Co To people and is called “flying shrimp.”

Roasted flying termite is snack for both children and adults. When added with salt and lemon grass, this roasted termite becomes a dish served with rice and even a spice for making soup.  

Co Tu people also cook rice porridge with flying termites, fry the insect with young buds of mountain coconut tree called “tavak” or use them to make banh xeo (fried pancake).

SGT