Akpa Agbugbo.


                             Akpa agbugbo is the Igbo name for the Rhinoceros Beetle grub. Akpa Agbugbo simply means-- the grub of the compost pile.
There are other "akpa"s, like the larva of the beetle which attacks the palm trees and devastates them if not discovered on time. There is the "akpa" or "agu" ngwo, which attacks the raffia palm tree by the rivers. Humans had a way of fighting back and saving their palm and raffia trees. With no insecticides available, thank goodness ,they extracted these grubs, carefully and skillfully, and after carefully processing the waste out of them, fried or roasted them and enjoyed very tasty delicacies, alone or tossed with other nutritious dishes.
        The akpa agbugbo -----the compost pile grub, however helped in turning the compost pile faster, reducing the biodegradable waste into usable manure for gardening and farming. However, when the grubs changed into the rhinoceros beetles, they end up damaging palm trees, an undesirable
development.

 In the old days, in the process of turning the compost or taking manure from the compost pile, the grubs emerge, fat and wiggly, and end up very healthy nourishing snacks or  meals for children and adults as well, and they taste great, nutty and chewy. They blended well with different salads and dishes or alone, roasted in the open fire as a chewy snack, combined with palm kernels, roasted corn, roasted groundnuts(peanuts), and other snacks, and they were good, and from what I know now, life sustaining too. They were popular in the rural communities during planting season, in the good old days.
They were actually very useful---curbing hunger, nurturing bodies and reducing the compost to great manure---a farmer's delight.
Next time you see a grub, take a second look. They are great------and actually useful!