Adolescents endeavor to maintain and serve water beetles in their culinary options
In a groundbreaking development, a team of three Thai students has created a solution to the problems faced by giant water bug farmers, while also preserving an Asian cultural heritage of water bug dining. The trio, known as "The Water Beetles," won $1,200 in the animal science category at the 75th annual Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) in May.
The students, Kasidet Srisuk, Thunvarat Jaturon, and Pruttachart Khongsawat, developed an AI program that can determine the sex of giant water bugs during their fourth developmental stage, about a month old. This program is approximately 80% accurate in identifying the sex of these insects, which is crucial for the farming industry.
Males, being the tastier and more valued bugs, are fruit-scented and sell for twice as much as females in markets. The AI program can help determine which bugs to send to market, ensuring farmers can maximise their profits. Females, on the other hand, are larger than males and have distinctive markings on their abdomens, resembling the letter U. They are saved as brood stock for raising more offspring.
The students also developed a new recipe for bug feed that greatly boosts the growth of giant water bugs. The new feed consists of fish byproducts and gelatin, shaped to resemble baby catfish. This innovative feed, made from a protein-rich byproduct of the fishing industry that would normally be thrown away, has improved the survival rate of giant water bugs by 60 percent compared to bugs fed a natural diet.
Giant water bugs, also known as Lethocerus indicus, are key ingredients in a chili paste called Nam Prik Mang Da in Thailand. These insects are considered very special in Thailand and are also enjoyed in India and Southeast Asia as a protein-rich street food and in various dishes. However, pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change have been negatively impacting their populations.
The team's innovations could lead to sustainable water bug farming, benefiting both the environment and the farming industry. ISEF, created and run by the Society for Science, which also publishes this magazine, brought together 1,657 finalists from 62 nations or territories in 2021, with nearly $9 million in prizes awarded. The Water Beetles' project aimed to solve the insects' picky diet and has certainly made a significant contribution to the field.
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