Bamboo worm collection activity and the changes in rural livelihoods in Yunnan Province, China

Bamboo worm (Omphisa fuscidentalis) is a minor biological resource widely distributed in southern Yunnan, China. While its biological and nutritional aspects are studied, its role within the multifaceted value of bamboo resources and its persistence amid changing rural livelihoods are less understood. Local-level information on collection practices and their sustainability across ethnic groups remains limited.

We employed participatory observation and semi-structured interviews to investigate current practices and historical changes in bamboo worm collection and consumption among 125 households in Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan. The study covered two lowland villages (Dai ethnic group) and two mountain villages (Jingpo and De'ang ethnic groups) to compare practices across topographies and ethnicities.

Thirteen host bamboo species were identified, and ten distinct culinary practices were documented. Bamboo worm collection occurs mainly from cultivated bamboo near settlements and is embedded within seasonal farming routines. Cross-cultural similarities exist in identification knowledge and in its opportunistic collection. However, notable inter-ethnic variations persist: the practice is largely for self-consumption among the lowland Dai, whereas surplus sales are more common among Jingpo and De'ang households in mountain areas. Household surveys revealed a significant overall decline in participation (92.8% to 84.0%; p < 0.001) and collection frequency among continuing households (1.97 to 1.70; p < 0.001), indicating weakening intergenerational transmission. However, the trajectory varied markedly by village: Jingpo households maintained full participation but showed the steepest frequency decline (Δ = -0.76; p < 0.001), while De'ang households unexpectedly increased collection frequency (Δ = +0.33; p = 0.012), driven by emerging market opportunities. Persistence is explained by socio-cultural embeddedness: enduring indigenous knowledge and local food preferences; cultural value reinforced by urban demand as both a nostalgic and novel commodity; collection within routine agricultural activities; and unintentional habitat conservation through maintained bamboo stands near settlements.

This study provides an ethnobiological case demonstrating that the persistence of traditional, low-return practices like bamboo worm collection relies on socio-cultural embeddedness rather than economic return. Therefore, effective conservation should prioritize sustaining these embedded conditions, for instance, by incorporating the maintenance of multi-use bamboo stands near settlements into local land-use planning.