UC Merced The Journal of California Anthropology Title The Cahuilla Use of Piyatem, Larvae of the White-Lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata) as Food Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6pd8k8r3 Journal The Journal of California Anthropology, 5(1) Authors Fenenga, Gerrit L Fisher, Eric M Publication Date 1978-07-01 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California 84 THE JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA ANTHROPOLOGY The Cahuilla Use of observe and record the human use of insects. One such individual was William Green­ Piyatem^ Larvae of the wood Wright. Wright made many important White-lined Sphinx Moth discoveries and collections of butterflies and other insects in Califomia during the late {Hyles lineata)^ as Food nineteenth century. His data may generally be considered reliable, although he evidently was GERRIT L. FENENGA known to be somewhat eccentric. In Septem­ ERIC M. FISHER ber, 1884, Wright pubUshed an article entitled "A Naturalist in the Desert" in the popular The importance of insect resources to serial Overland Monthly (Wright 1884:279- indigenous peoples is relatively weU known. 284). This short paper contains a number of Historical and anthropological hterature in­ observations which substantiate existing eth­ dicates California Indians utilized insects or nographic data regarding Cahuilla Indian insect exudates as food,' for ornamentation,^ village locations,^ agricultural methods,^ eth- for medicinaP or ritualistic reasons,'* as items nobotanical practices,'*' and social customs." of economic and commercial value,^ and for Specificahy, however, it contains a detailed technological purposes.^ Generally, however, graphic description of Cahuhla caterpillar ethnoentomological documentation consists exploitation. This particular paragraph of of casual or minor observations included in Wright's article is worth reprinting here for historic or ethnographic accounts or of brief several reasons: (1) identification of the insect mention in cultural trait or word lists, without and its host plant are included; (2) the use of precise identification of the insects involved. this insect, the White-lined Sphinx Moth, Some articles have dealt specificahy with the Hyles lineata (Fabricius), shown in Fig. 1, has use of insects by California Indians (Essig seldom been recorded previously in an ethno­ graphic context in CaUfornia or elsewhere; and 1931:12-47; Barrett 1936:1-5; Woodward 1938: (3) Wright's description has not received 175-180; Heizer 1950:35-41). Barrett neglect­ attention and might be of interest to Cahuilla ed, however, to include proper indenti- scholars. fication of his "armyworm."^ This problem is common to most existing notes on the Wright's observations concerning this aboriginal use of insects. Primarily, this is due subject are as follows: to the extraordinarily great number of insect In an hour we came to the caterpillar species that exist. For accurate identification, pasture.'^ The sand is dotted with mats and specimens usuaUy must be submitted to ento­ patches of a procumbent plant,'^ much mologists who specialize in insect classifica­ resembUng in flower the common sand tion; few of the earlier ethnographers followed verbena, Abronia, on which vast armies of this procedure. In addition, insects were often caterpillars—the larvae of D. linearis^*— are feeding; they are huge worms three and described by informants, but never actually four inches long. Another smaU army of seen by the ethnographer. This might have Indians—[men, women, and children]— been the result of the seasonal unavailabihty of are out gathering them as though they were the species of insect, or due to the particular huckleberries, for use as food. The Indians interests of the recorder. Occasionally, ethno­ do not notice us, but go on with their graphers did have opportunities to collect gathering. Seizing a fat worm, they puU off specimens and have them identified, or, better its head, and by a dexterous jerk the viscera yet, entomologists themselves were able to are ejected, and the wriggUng carcass is put CAHUILLA USE OF PIYATEM 85 •JFr Fig. 1. Piyatem: Larva of White-hned Sphinx Moth {Hyles lineata). Actual length is 8.5 cm. into a small basket or bag, or strung upon She remembered that her grandmother strings and hung upon the arm or about the went out in the spring toward the hills, and neck, till occasion is found to put them into they would gather the worms, kiUing them a large receptacle. 1 got three of these by pinching off the heads. The worms were gathering baskets. One is funnel-shaped, roasted on a comol 'griddle' and either holding a quart or two; another is like a immediately eaten or stored. Sometimes large, flat saucer, and the third is similar they were parched over hot coals, which but with a deep rim. At night, these Indians dried them out and allowed them to be carry their prey home, where they have a stored longer without turning rancid [Lan- great feast.'^ Indians from a long distance do and Modesto 1977:110]. come to these worm feasts, and it is a time of great rejoicing among them. The larvae In April, 1976, Philip J. Wilke, Univershy that are not consumed at the time (and they of California, Riverside, collected specimens eat incredible quantities), are put upon of Hyles lineata which were identified by Mrs. ground previously heated by a fire, and Modesto as piyatem.^'' She also provided an thoroughly dried, when they are packed additional method of preparing this foodstuff, away whole, or pulverized into a meal stating that they were skewered on an arrow- [Wright 1884:283]. weed (Pluchea sericea Nutt.) stem, after pull­ The use of caterpillars and other insects by ing off the head, and roasted. the Cahuilla and their neighbors is weU docu­ The striking similarities between these mented (Drucker 1937:9; Bean and Saubel different accounts of piyatem exploitation 1963:63-64; Bean 1972:61). One particular attest to the importance and desirability of this caterpUlar, as described in several sources, species as a food source to the Cahuilla. The appears to be the species observed by Wright. availabihty of this insect, however, is some­ Bean (1972:61) states: what unpredictable. In certain years, in desert areas of the southwestern United States, A worm called piyatem [piyaxtem]— "outbreaks" of this species occur and within a possibly an army worm—was a favorite local area larvae can be found swarming over treat of the Cahuilla. The worms appeared the ground and vegetation in countless num­ at the surface of the ground in abundance bers. These outbreaks usuaUy happen in the after warm spring rains, and were collected spring, but otherwise are sporadic, sometimes in large quantities, prepared by parching, occurring in consecutive years, sometimes and stored for future use. Their arrival was separated by periods of three or more years. celebrated by a first-fruit ritual as were those of other insects and worms .... The exact cause of this phenomenon is unknown, although it likely involves some Mrs. Ruby E. Modesto, Cahuilla consult­ combination of abundant desert vegetation ant,'* substantiates the use of piyatem, de­ and low numbers of larval parasites and scribing its use as follows: predators. Grant (1937:356) has shown a 86 THE JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA ANTHROPOLOGY correlation with rainfall. Outbreaks frequently ment of Anthropology, University of Cali­ occur in a spring preceded by a wet winter fornia, Riverside, and Mr. Harry W. Lawton, foUowing a dry year. The Cahuilla were fully University of California, Riverside, provided conscious of the relationship of piyatem avail­ encouragement and critical editorial commen­ abihty to other environmental factors. Evi­ tary on an earlier draft of the manuscript. Dr. dence for this is provided by Mrs. Modesto's Wilke also provided access to pertinent data observation that piyatem appeared in great coUected during his anthropological research numbers in years when there was a good in the Coachella Valley. Finally, we would like bloom of spring flowers. This is perhaps also to express our gratitude to Mrs. Ruby E. the reason Drucker's Desert and Mountain Modesto for the Cahuilla identification of Cahuilla informants told him "rainbow shows piyatem, and for her sincere interest in pre­ where caterpillars fall" (1937:26). Bean (1972: serving the cultural heritage of her people. 135-159) discusses at some length the acute awareness the Cahuilla possessed in regard to Berkeley, California the delicate balance of their ecosystem, and University of California, Davis how they attempted to maintain this balance NOTES through the mechanisms of various rituals. 1. Ethnographic evidence for the collecting, Our purpose in writing this paper was cooking, and eating of insects in California may be twofold. First, we wished to call attention to an found in a number of papers. Primary sources overlooked minor source of Cahuilla ethnohis­ include many of the University of California Cul­ tory. Second, we were concerned with clarify­ tural Element Distribution Lists, the Handbook of ing the ethnographic record in regard to the the Indians of California (Kroeber 1925), and most identification and utihzation of piyatem. In general culturahy specific ethnographic works. A researching this subject, it has become appar­ few historic accounts also contain some informa­ ent to us that the relatively uncharted field of tion on this subject (Leonard 1839:38; Hutchings ethnoentomology has considerable potential 1888:428-429; and others). Summaries, from many for adding to existing knowledge of California sources, on the aboriginal use of insects as food are Indian life. Hopefully, this minor contribution given by Bodenheimer (1951) and Taylor (1975), will stimulate further research into this topic. while Hitchcock (1962) treats several aspects of insect utilization by North and South American ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Indians. Archaeological data substantiating insect consumption in California are more hmited, but do This paper was made possible through the exist. For instance, larvae of a species of crane fly interests and cooperation of a number of (TipuUdae) comprise 25% of a single human individuals.