At least 65 insect species of 30 families and 9 orders, namely Orthoptera (15 species), Odonata (12), Coleoptera (11), Hymenoptera (10), Hemiptera (9), Lepidoptera (5) and one species each of Ephemeroptera, Isoptera and Mantodea find acceptance as food by Adi and Apatani tribals. Adi use overall more species than Apatani: 53 species of 24 families and 8 orders versus 49 species of 21 families and 8 orders. Odonata are highly appreciated by the Apatani whereas Adi consume more Orthopterans. Various harvesting systems exist and often methods like handpicking or using simple tools are involved with minimal environmental impact. However, depreciation of the environment, increased availability of conventional foodstuffs, rapid population growth and rising influence of westernisation collectively affect diversity, abundance and use of edible insects, leading to a decline of entomophagy among the tribal people.

Ducetia japonica and Phyllozelus sp., two tettigoniid orthopteran insect species appreciated as food by people of Arunachal Pradesh were analyzed to assess their nutritional potentials. Ducetia japonica and Phyllozelus sp. contained 56.28% and 61.57% protein, 14.99% and 7.93% fat, 11.84% and 8.30% fiber, 4.59 % and 3.01 % ash and 11.84% and 19.19% carbohydrates respectively. In both the species 18 amino acids were detected including essential amino acids and were found satisfying the recommended dosages (scores >100). Both the species contained 22.77% and 26.84% MUFAs and 18.93% and 41.73% PUFAs, respectively. The two orthopteran insects contained superior amount of micro minerals (Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn) and moderate amounts of macro minerals (Na, K, Ca and Mg). Thus, these two-orthopteran species could serve as an alternative food source and as a tasty and promising source of essential nutrients on par with or superior to conventional food of both plant and animal origin. They should be included in plans to rear and farm nutritionally valuable species of edible orthopterans.