Gonimbrasia belina
Edible caterpillar of a southern African emperor moth.
Gonimbrasia belina is an emperor moth species found in the warmer areas of southern Africa. Its large, edible caterpillar goes by many names, including mopane worm, madora, amacimbi, pigeon moth, and masonja, and it feeds mainly—but not exclusively—on the leaves of the mopane tree. These caterpillars are a vital protein source for many people in the region. The species was first formally described by John O. Westwood in 1849.
The common English name "mopane worm" comes from its frequent association with the mopane tree (*Colophospermum mopane*). Other local names vary widely: in Botswana, Kalanga speakers call it *mashonja* and Tswana speakers *phane*; in South Africa, it is known as *masonja* (Sotho), *mašotša* (Northern Sotho, colloquial), *mashonzha* (Venda), *matamani* or *masonja* (Tsonga), *iinnondo* (Southern Ndebele), and *masonja* or *seboko sa mongana* (Tswana). In Zambia, names include *muyaya*, *finkubala*, and *ifishimu* (Bemba). In Zimbabwe, it is called *macimbi* (Northern Ndebele), *madora*, *masodya*, or *mashonja* (Shona), and *mahonja* (Kalanga). In Namibia, Ovambo speakers say *omagungu* and Oshikwanyama speakers *oshuungu*. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kongo speakers call it *mingolo*. The Latin name is sometimes given as *Imbrasia belina* instead of *Gonimbrasia belina*.
Adult moths are large, with a wingspan of about 120 mm. Their wings range from fawn through shades of green and brown to red, marked by two black and white bands that isolate the eyespots. Each hindwing has an orange eyespot. Males have feathery antennae, used to locate mates. The larvae are black, dotted with round scales in alternating whitish-green and yellow bands, and armed with short black or reddish spines covered in fine white hairs.
Larvae eat a wide variety of plants, including mopane, *Carissa grandiflora*, *Diospyros*, *Ficus*, *Rhus*, *Sclerocarya afra*, *Terminalia*, and *Trema*. After hatching, they can strip host plants of leaves, depriving other browsing animals of food. The species is widespread and very common in semi-desert, bushveld, and grassland.
The life cycle begins when the caterpillar hatches in summer and immediately starts eating nearby foliage. It moults four times across five larval stages; after the fourth moult, it is considered most desirable for harvesting.
- Scientific name
- Gonimbrasia belina (also given as Imbrasia belina)
- First described by
- John O. Westwood in 1849
- Wingspan
- 120 mm
- Larval common names
- mopane worm, madora, amacimbi, pigeon moth, masonja
- Primary host plant
- mopane tree (Colophospermum mopane)
- Adult lifespan
- 3 to 4 days
- Economic importance
- multi-million rand industry in southern Africa
Lore & Background
The mopane worm is the larval stage of Gonimbrasia belina. After hatching in summer, the larva feeds voraciously on mopane leaves and other trees, moulting four times. If not harvested after the fourth moult, it burrows underground to pupate over winter for 6 to 7 months, emerging as an adult moth in November or December. The adult moths live only three to four days, during which they mate and lay eggs.
The caterpillars are hand-picked in the wild, often by women and children. Traditional preservation involves boiling with salt and then sun-drying or smoking. Dried mopane worms can be eaten raw, or rehydrated and fried or cooked with onions, tomatoes, and spices. The flesh is yellow, and the gut may contain dried leaf fragments that are not harmful.
Reader's Guide
Gonimbrasia belina holds significant cultural, nutritional, and economic importance in southern Africa. The mopane worm is a low-cost, high-protein food source, requiring only three kilograms of mopane leaves to produce one kilogram of worms, compared to ten kilograms of feed for one kilogram of beef. The harvesting and sale of mopane worms is a multi-million rand industry, with principal producers including Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. South Africa alone trades an estimated 1.6 million kilograms annually, and Botswana's industry nets roughly $8 million per year. However, overharvesting has led to population declines in some areas, prompting efforts toward sustainable harvesting. The species also faces competition from farmers who view it as a pest for livestock browsing, though the short caterpillar season allows trees to recover. In 2015, a Cornell team presented the economic and nutritional benefits of transforming mopane worm proteins into food at a global business challenge.
Did You Know?
- The mopane worm is so-called in English because it is usually found on the mopane tree, Colophospermum mopane.
- More than 40% of a mopane worm's eggs may be attacked by predators, and the caterpillars are susceptible to a high-mortality virus.
- In Botswana, people tend not to eat the head of the dried mopane worm.
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