FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
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Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
First described by John O. Westwood in the year 1849, the mopane worm or Gonimbrasia belina is a species of the emperor moth that is native to the warmer parts of southern Africa. They are also known as madora or amacimbi, masontja. This worm is located on the mopane tree and other vegetation surrounding it such as mango tree leaves. These trees are its main food source. It is a rather large caterpillar that is edible and is eaten by the natives as a food source because of its high nutritional value. However, this has highly impacted the species as there has been a decline in population and the mopane worm is rarely seen. It is even extinct in some areas where it was found earlier due to over-harvesting of these worms for business as a high nutrition food source of protein in the form of dried mopane worms. This species of worm is being studied to find out more ways for this food source to be harvested on a sustainable basis.
For more relatable content, check out these Indian meal moth facts and silkworm facts for kids.
The mopane worm is a worm that later on evolves into an emperor moth.
Mopane worms are caterpillars that belong to the class of insects under the animal kingdom.
There is no data for the exact number of worms of this species in existence. But there has been a major decline in the population of the species as this worm is consumed as a food source by the local population due to its high nutritional value in calcium, iron, and protein and it has been over-harvested over the years both as a food source and also for trade that has turned into a multi-million rand (South African currency) industry.
The mopane worms ranges in Mozambique, Malawi, southern Zimbabwe, northern South Africa, and north, east and central Botswana.
Mopane worms can be found living on mopane trees and other vegetation that surround it such as mango trees.
The eggs are placed together to hatch and once they have hatched the larvae continue to live together. But they start to live in isolation as they grow and age.
A mopane worm only survives for a year or so, they spend most of their life burrowed on their fifth shed that is seven to eight months long before they complete their development into a mopane worm adult which only survives for four to five days. A major part of its active life is spent as a caterpillar.
After the female has laid its eggs, the eggs hatch and feed on the leaves of the tree that they have been laid on. If the tree is completely rid of leaves, then they are forced to move on to the next tree. They undergo five molts, with the fifth molt being the best for harvesting these worms. They burrow underground over the winter where they complete their transformation and turn into the emperor moth.
The conservation status of the mopane worm has not yet been evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Mopane worms have a very distinctive appearance. It is large in size and has black spikes all over its body with tiny black feet and a funky neon-yellow-and-orange pattern. It can be 3.9 in (10 cm) in length and can weigh up to 0.4 oz (12 g). The mopane worm moth has fawn-colored wings with an orange eyespot on each hindwing.
Although people can be intimidated and grossed out by caterpillars at first due to their appearance, they turn into beautiful creatures once they have completed their development and turned into emperor moths.
Caterpillars are known to communicate with vibrations produced from their mouth pants and through anal drumming and scraping.
A mopane worm can stretch up to 3.9 in (10 cm) in length. This caterpillar is 10 times bigger than a flatworm.
The exact speed of locomotion of this species has not been recorded yet.
The mopane worm weighs 0.4 oz (12 g). This is an average weight, it can be more and less for every individual mopane worm.
There are no sex-specific names for the different sexes of the species. They are both collectively and individually known as the mopane worms or mopane worm.
After hatching the first form of the moth is that of a larva.
These worms feed on the leaves of the mopane trees and the leaves of the trees surrounding the mopane tree. But these are also eaten by humans due to the high nutrition these worms provide as well as the birds for survival. Humans often eat fried mopane worms. They are harvested after the larvae have turned into worms or caterpillars. While you might not like the way the mopane worm taste but they sure are packed with a lot of calcium, iron, and protein.
No, this species does not pose any immediate threat to human beings.
No, the mopane worm would not make a good pet because it would eventually have to burrow to complete its development into a moth which is not possible it kept as a pet.
The mopane worm after evolving into an emperor moth only lives for three to four days when it does not eat anything, it just mates and the female lays eggs.
The selling of dried mopane worms has turned into a multi-million rand industry in southern Africa.
Over-harvesting of these worms has led to the decline in the population of these insects.
Yes, these worms are completely edible and are packed with tons of nutrition. While some might not like the taste of the mopane worm, nutrition facts state these worms are packed with tons of iron, calcium, and protein. They are cleaned and sun-dried and then often fried for consumption. They are also sold as dried mopane worms.
The taste of mopane worm can be anything like tea to steak or even leaves, depending on the way it is prepared.
The mopane worms are eaten in southern African countries mainly in Zimbabwe. In rural Zimbabwe, mopane worms are a part of the staple diet and the mopane worm dish is considered a delicacy in the cities.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these black witch moth interesting facts and ghost moth surprising facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable worm coloring pages.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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