Mopane worm

You’ve probably more likely seen a dried Mopane worm, than a living one, especially if you’ve stopped along the side of the roads in Limpopo and Mpumalanga to get some “padkos” from the food stalls.

Named after the Mopane tree, where they are most commonly found munching away on the leaves, these are the caterpillar species (they are not actually worms) of the Emperor moth.

For generations, people have collected, dried, and then cooked Mopane worms in a multitude of ways, creating highly nutritious, cheap meals. They’re packed full of goodness, containing 3 times as much protein as beef!

Although traditionally the mopane worms are harvested for personal use only, it has now grown into a thriving, multi-million Rand industry in northern South Africa (as well as Zimbabwe and Botswana), providing an income for many rural communities.

Gonimbrasia belina

Original artwork: available