The diversity of aquatic insects used as human food

This paper assesses the diversity of aquatic insects and insects with aquatic larvae used as human food. Over 250 species have been used as food in 48 countries around the world. Coleoptera comprises the largest number of species utilised, followed by Odonata and Hemiptera. All life stages are eaten but primarily larvae and adults. Currently, economic valuation is largely limited to Southeast Asia, although there is considerable potential to expand this. A few species including Lethocerus indicus (Lepeletier and Serville, 1825) have been negatively impacted due to exploitation as a food item coupled with other environmental pressures.