Palm worm: (Rhynchophorus palmarum) - Traditional food in Amazonas, Venezuela - Nutritional, composition, small scale production and tourist palatability

We describe the use of alerito, the larva of the Rhynchophorus palmarum (Co leoptera: Curculionidae), by the Jivi (Guajibo) community of Alcabala de Gu ajibo, Amazonas, Venezuela. The Indians gather the palm worms from damaged or fallen palm stems and eat them raw or roasted. We analysed the nutrient composition of the palm worm and found that it is an excellent source of pr otein, vitamins A and E, and minerals. We further describe the development of a local, controlled small-scale palm worm production system for use by t he Indians in the Amazon. Larvae are bred using wild palm materials and tra ditional Indian plants. The larval survival and density in each palm substr ate is analysed together with the larvae's nutritional composition, and com parison with the mother palms cucurito (Maximiliana maripa),seje (Jessenia bataua) and moriche (Mauritia flexuosa) is made. Finally, the palatability of the palm worm to non-Amerindian tourists is assessed. The nutrient compo sition of the palm worm, the simplicity of a more controlled local producti on system and the acceptability of the palm worm to tourists make this non- conventional resource promising both as a nutritional food and as a source of cash income for the Indians.