Abdu Mas'ud 1*, Bety K Lahati 2, Andy Kurniawan 3, Sundari 1 and Aditya Sindu Sakti 4
1Department of Biology Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Khairun, North Maluku, Indonesia; 2Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Khairun, North Maluku, Indonesia; 3Department of Forestry, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Khairun, North Maluku, Indonesia; 4Department of Natural Products, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Khairun, North Maluku, Indonesia
*Corresponding author: abdumasud@unkhair.ac.id
Edible insects are gaining attention as sustainable, nutrient-dense alternative sources of protein, particularly in biodiverse regions where local food systems and ecological knowledge remain closely intertwined. This study investigated the potential of edible insects on Ternate Island, Indonesia, a small island in the Wallacean biogeographical area, through a combination of a field-based insect inventory and a survey of community perceptions of entomophagy. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in August–September 2025 in five administrative regions of Ternate Island, including home gardens, agricultural land, plantation areas, and sago-associated habitats. Field exploration recorded edible and potentially edible insects, primarily from the orders Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Coleoptera. We found 20 records of edible insects, including grasshoppers, crickets, bee and wasp brood, lepidopteran larvae or pupae, and coleopteran larvae such as sago-associated Rhynchophorus spp. Five more records were classified as non-edible or not commonly eaten and were predominantly associated with pest monitoring. A community survey was conducted, and 51 responses were considered valid. The majority of respondents were aware of entomophagy (82.35%); however, knowledge of its health benefits was nearly equal between yes and no responses (50.98 vs. 49.02%), and only 31.37% had previously consumed insects. The most frequently recognized edible insects were grasshoppers/locusts and sago larvae, and the main barriers to acceptance were disgust, low willingness to try, safety uncertainty, and limited market availability. While nearly half of the respondents considered insects an important source of protein, willingness to consume processed insect-based foods remained low. These findings indicate that edible insects on Ternate Island are viable as supplementary local protein sources, especially sago larvae and grasshoppers/locusts. However, further taxonomic validation, nutritional profiling, food safety assessment, allergen evaluation, studies on sustainable harvesting, and sensory-based consumer research are necessary for their wider application in food systems.