Limpopo villagers lose on Mopane worms due heatwave

Some people who harvest Mopane worms in the Giyani area in Limpopo say the recent heat wave has negative impact in the availability of the worms. Scores of locals from various villages including Makhuva outside Giyani harvest Mopane worms for either cash in or eat with their families.

They say have not been able to harvest enough because the worms are dying due to heat wave.

People use their festive season holidays to harvest Mopane worms along the road between Giyani and Phalaborwa.

“We did not get them just because the sun is very hot so they are dead. They can’t survive when there’s no rain,” says one distraught villager.

Aram Maluleke is among those who harvest Mopane worms for cash in. He sells along the road at Nsavulani village.

“Is important to eat Mopane worms it has protein because the worms only eat leaves from trees. ”

Traditionally the worms were harvested for subsistence but harvesting has become more commercially driven.