Nutritional value and consumption of black ants (Carebara vidua Smith) from the Lake Victoria region in Kenya

Abstract: The edible insects of the Lake Victoria region which provided food and medicine, have suffered the effects of mismanaged environment. Our case study of Carebara vidua Smith (black ant) which is an endangered insect currently threatened with extinction due to human's activities, have provided unique source of protein and medicinal value. C. vidua is an endangered species of Heminoptera. This paper discusses the nutritional value and medicinal potential of the black ant. It is one of the most sought after edible insects because of its nutritional and medicinal value. The samples were collected from Kisumu and Siaya counties along the Lake Victoria region. Standard nutrient analysis methods were used to determine the nutritional value. The insect has between 39.79 to 44.64% protein and about 42.07 to 49.77% fat content depending on the body part. The insect is also rich in iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. From the fatty acid profile, the edible insects recorded high content of Palmitic, Oleic and Linoleic acids. No Linolenic acid was found in the samples analysed. The elderly Luos of Kenya collect and consume the black ants to manage several body ailments probably due to the essential nutrients found in the insect. C. vidua Smith is fairly similar to Polyrhachis vicina Roger in China which has been processed and commercialised as medicinal to manage several chronic diseases. Further research is needed to highlight the potential medicinal value of C. vidua Smith in Kenya and to save the insect from total disappearance

Technical Workflow Development for Integrating Drone Surveys and Entomological Sampling to Characterise Aquatic Larval Habitats of Anopheles funestus in Agricultural Landscapes in Côte d'Ivoire.

Land-use practices such as agriculture can impact mosquito vector breeding ecology, resulting in changes in disease transmission. The typical breeding habitats of Africa's second most important malaria vector Anopheles funestus are large, semipermanent water bodies, which make them potential candidates for targeted larval source management. This is a technical workflow for the integration of drone surveys and mosquito larval sampling, designed for a case study aiming to characterise An. funestus breeding sites near two villages in an agricultural setting in Côte d'Ivoire. Using satellite remote sensing data, we developed an environmentally and spatially representative sampling frame and conducted paired mosquito larvae and drone mapping surveys from June to August 2021. To categorise the drone imagery, we also developed a land cover classification scheme with classes relative to An. funestus breeding ecology. We sampled 189 potential breeding habitats, of which 119 (63%) were positive for the Anopheles genus and nine (4.8%) were positive for An. funestus. We mapped 30.42 km2 of the region of interest including all water bodies which were sampled for larvae. These data can be used to inform targeted vector control efforts, although its generalisability over a large region is limited by the fine-scale nature of this study area. This paper develops protocols for integrating drone surveys and statistically rigorous entomological sampling, which can be adjusted to collect data on vector breeding habitats in other ecological contexts. Further research using data collected in this study can enable the development of deep-learning algorithms for identifying An. funestus breeding habitats across rural agricultural landscapes in Côte d'Ivoire and the analysis of risk factors for these sites