Hunting bee pupae, earning millions

(Baonghean.vn) - In the mountainous district of Que Phong, hornets usually appear from July to September. At this time, local people enter the season of catching hornet pupae, earning millions of dong each day.

Being a mountainous area with many trees, it is favorable for wasps to develop. They often live in many places: on trees, under bushes, electric poles and sometimes even on walls or ceilings. Wasp nests have many different shapes depending on the location where they nest.

Wasp nests appear in many places, in the mountainous villages of Que Phong.

Hornets are extremely aggressive, when the hive is disturbed, they often rush out to attack. Despite the danger, people who specialize in stinging bees still have "tricks" to be able to get the bee pupae.

Mr. Kim Van Tinh, Dinh Danh village, Chau Thon commune, has a lot of experience in hunting bee pupae, said: This species of bee likes to eat rotten animal meat, so we often use bait such as a little smelly pork or insects like crickets... When the bees appear, just follow their flight direction and you will find the nest.

Wasp pupa hunters must be experienced people.

Usually at night, when all the bees have gone into the nest, it is a good time for the pupa hunters to burn the nest opening. After the bees fly out, they will collect their pupae.

Burn the beehive before taking the pupae...

According to Ms. Vi Thi Lan, who specializes in importing bee pupae from the villagers, said: Every day I import about 20kg to sell to restaurants in Kim Son town and neighboring districts. The purchase price in the village is about 150,000 VND/kg of bee pupae.

It is pupa catching season, bee pupae are sold along many roads of Que Phong district.

Every day, bee pupa hunters usually collect about 5 kg, which can be sold for over 700,000 VND; some days they even collect 6-7 kg, which can be sold for millions of VND.

Bee pupae are a specialty of the mountainous region of Que Phong, both delicious and nutritious. Pupae are processed into many attractive dishes such as: cooked with pickled bamboo shoots, stir-fried bee pupae...

Van Thanh

(Kui Phong Radio)