Etnobiología 3: 21-29, 2003 ENTERTAINMENT WITH INSECTS: SINGING AND FIGHTING INSECTS AROUND THE WORLD. A BRIEF REVIEW Eraldo Medeiros Costa-Neto Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Km 03, BR 116 Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil CEP 44031-460
[email protected] ABSTRACT The interaction between humans and insects is briefly presented by viewing the cultural practices related to the keeping of singing Orthopterans and fighting crickets, which take place in some parts of the world, especially in Asian countries. Key words: ethnoentomology, cricket-fighting, singing insects, Orthoptera, folklore. RESUMEN La interacción ser humano/insectos es brevemente presentada a través de las prácticas culturales relacionadas con el mantenimiento de Ortópteros cantantes y grillos de pelea, las cuales se realizan en algunos rincones de la tierra, especialmente en los países de Asia. Palabras clave: etnoentomología, grillos de pelea, insectos cantantes, Orthoptera, folklore. Introduction insects is due to the prejudiced attitudes that associate insects with aboriginal people. In Prior to the arrival of modern humans in the contrast, Eastern Asian cultures have a more evolutionary set, insects had already been balanced perspective regarding insects than in playing important ecological roles by providing the West, where most insects are related to filth a range of services in order to maintain the or are dangerous (DeFoliart 1999, Pemberton structure of the most terrestrial ecosystems 1999). According to these authors, Asians (Morris et al. 1991). In view of their abundance consider insects to be aesthetically pleasing, and the range of their impact on the lives of our good to eat, interesting pets, subjects of sport, early ancestors, it is not surprising that insects enjoyable to listen to and useful in medicine.