Shillong: A one-of-its-kind festival was organised in Meghalaya, dedicated to a peculiar insect called 'Niangtaser', with local football enthusiasts naming it 'Niang World Cup' as it surfaces every four years in Ri Bhoi district coinciding with the football world cup.
The day-long Niangtser festival was held for the first time by the Saiden Socio Cultural and Sport Club at Saiden, about 55 km from here on Tuesday night.
Hundreds of people carrying lamps thronged the Iewsir forest and searched for the insect, which is of the Cicada family.
"People pick them and push them using a stick inside a mature hollow bamboo having one node. This prevents them from becoming fully mature. The insects are then cleaned, cooked
and served as a delicacy”, said the club president R W Shylla.
The insect comes out of the ground in large numbers and particularly at night time. This phenomenon lasts for about a month till the rainy season.
"In a few minutes from coming out of the ground, they shed their old skin and a fresh white bamboo-shoot like creature evolves. They then become brownish and start flying to the twigs and tree branches, Shylla, an entomologist said.
The insect cost about Rs 200 to Rs 250 per kg as it is has a good market among a cross-section of people.
The insect lays eggs on grooves of trees and bamboo and when the young nymphs emerge, they slip into the ground.
They live underground for at least four years feeding on the sap of woods and bamboo.
They then emerge and climb on trees or bamboos and undergo moulting for at least four times. After the final moulting, the wings emerge.
After two to three weeks, they fly off to nearby water
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