1. APSANG. A name for any tiny, pesky insect like mites and gnats.
2. AYUP-AYUPAN. Winged termites. Literally, mock birds. These small, winged flies with soft bodies that are actually mature winged termites that swarm like birds around sources of light. They resemble winged ants, only their wings are longer and they don’t bite.
3. BABAGUA or BAGUA. Spider. These web-spinning Arachnids are known to many Kapampangan children as they were a source of leisure in the old days. Babagua matches were conducted with two spiders fighting it out while perched on a ‘tingting’ (spine of a palm leaf). Spider types even had names: Big spiders are called GANGATO. TAIMIS refers to argiope spiders that rested in the center of webs in an “X” position, hence the name. The dreaded SAGUAN are spiders with horned backs.
4. BOMBUAN or BUAN-BUAN. Bee. Bees belong to the order Hymenoptera which makes them relatives of wasps and aunts and are known to be busybodies, with important roles in pollination. A honey bee is called PUCQUITAN and the wild variety is called ANIGUAN. No wonder, the busy bee is the mascot of the country’s most popular burger chain, but the fastfood insists that “Jollibee is not a bee….he is your friend!”.
5. DURUN. Grasshopper. Locusts are short-horned grasshoppers that can become pests. The green variety with sharp, serrated legs are called KANABSI. Children often play with ‘durun’ by removing the legs and squeezing the fleshy femur while asking,”Nukarin ya ing banwa?”. This causes the hind leg to point upwards. When the kids ask,”Nukarin ya ing yatu?”, the hind leg points down, when unsqueezed.
6. KAMARU. Mole cricket. Kamaru are of the same order as grasshoppers, locusts and crickets (Orthoptera). They have cylindrical, fleshy bodies with small eyes and flipper-like forelimbs ideal for burrowing. In Pampanga, kamarus are culinary delicacies often cooked adobo-style.
7. KAMBUBULAG. Moth,especially referring to the large, nocturnal variety. Related to butterflies (of the order Lepidoptera), they are so called because it is the belief that that powdery substance on the moth’s wings and bodies can cause blindness when it comes in contact with the eyes. The powder is actually tiny pigmented scales made from modified hair that gives color and pattern to the moth’s wings.
8. KANSASAMBA. Praying mantis. Members of the order Mantodea are characterized by triangular head, large eyes on a long neck, with elongated bodies, and all have greatly-enlarged fore arms. When a kansasamba is in an upright position with folded fore arms, it looks like it is praying, hence the name. A praying mantis is also called PAPALAKUL, because the movement of the arms of this predatory insect mimics a chopping action. It is also called MANGANAK-UBINGAN (snake-bearer), because of the belief that a mantis can give birth to a snake.
9. KOBUNG-KOBUNG. Antlion. Kobung-kobung are the larvae of an insect family called Myrmeleontidae, which eventually become flying insects that look like dragonflies or lacewings. Kobung-Kobung are known for digging pits to trap passing ants or other prey. Children often amuse themselves by catching kobung-kobung by stirring the pit with a strand of hair. This causes the kobung-kobung to grasp the hair strand, which is then pulled out to retrieve the strange-looking bug.
10. KULIGLIG. Cicada. These insects, relative of leafhoppers and aphids are known for their prominent eyes set wide apart, short antennae, and iridescent front wings. Kuligigs are known for their loud song, produced by rapidly vibrating a drumlike, exo-skeletal membrane called tymbals. It is no wonder that noisy tricycles in some provinces are called “kuligig”.
11. LAIPAN. Centipede. Centipedes are arthropods, elongated creatures with segmented bodies that can have a number of legs from 30 to over 300. Centipedes are known to be venomous, with a pair of poison claws, and a “kinis-laipan” (centipede bite) can cause fever and can prove fatal.
12. LIBANGO. Stink bug. A term for small, black bugs that exude a distinct unpleasant odor when crushed. Fray Diego Bergaño, the famed 18th c. dictionarist, notes that libango cause damage to palay, corn and other plants and infect the air with their stench.
13. LIPAKTUNG. Field Cricket. Lipaktung belong to the Gryllidae family with cylindrical bodies and long antenna. These jumpers also make a distinct chirping sound at night. Lipaktung are also another Kapampangan insect delicacy, cooked adobo-style, or friend to a crisp.
14. PAPALTUK. Click Beetle. These insects from the Elateridae family are characterized by the unusual click mechanism they possess. Elaterids have a spine on the pro-sternum that can be snapped to produce a loud ‘click’(paltuk) sound, and which can bounce the beetle into the air. This is also useful when the papaltuk is on its back and needs to right itself. Kids often play with papaltuk beetles by putting them on top of a can, so they can “click” their heads on the tin can to produce a louder clicking, drumming sound.
15. PAPATUT. Bombardier Beetle. So called, because these beetles from the Carabidae family are most notable for the defense mechanism when disturbed-- they eject a foul-smelling spray from their abdomen, producing gas to propel the spray with a popping sound. Papatut are ground beetles, preferring tto stay under the leaves of vegetable plants.
16. PATUAG-PATUAG, or PAPATUAG. Mosquito larva. These jumpy, little creatures that jerk and rock back and forth (papatuwag) in stagnant water are larvae of mosquitos.
17. SIBAUNG . Water beetle. These edible, water-dwelling black beetles gave Manibaug in Porac its name, which was once overrun with these insects. Bergaño, however, defines them mistakenly as black wasps that could destroy palm trees, penetrate people’s ears, but could be killed with strong wine. “Manibaung kata!”, was an invitation to go on a sibaung-catching in the fields of this municipality. “Manibaung” was contracted to “Manibaug”.
18. TALUBANG. Butterfly. These brightly-colored winged insects are part of a class of fluttering creatures in the order Lepidoptera, along with the moths. The local name, ‘talubang’, is derived from a native game which involves asking lady participants who have adopted the name of flowers, the whereabouts of a “butterfly”. The one who fails to answer is penalized by giving up a personal item. The games is also known as ‘bulaklakan’ or ‘juego de prenda’. Today, the Spanish “mariposa” is used more than “talubang”.
19. TATABUAN. Wasp. Like the ant and the bee, wasps or “tatabuan” are descended from a suborder of insects called Apocrita. They are aggressive stingers and are noted for their slim waists. The most common wasp is the hornet with the more familiar local name-TAMUMU. Hornets are known to sting people when their nesting sites are threatened, and their stings are more dangerous than bees.
20. TULANG. Dragonfly. Belonging to the order Odonata, dragonflies have large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of transparent wings, and an elongated body and tail. Dragonfly varieties include “tulang dapu” (green and large), “tulang babi” (orange) and slender “tulang karayum” (damsel flies). When catching “tulang’, children chant a juvenile rhyme to keep the insect still—“Tulang, Tulang, silut daka pitaklan” (Dragonfly, dragonfly, I’ll stick something in your butt). This refers to the practice of inserting a thin grass stalk into the tail of a ‘tulang’ so it could fly low, thus making it easy to be retrieved.
21. TUNGAO. Mite. Tiny blood-sucking insect that penetrates the skin. Bergaño notes that the tungao can become very red because of the blood it sucks.
22. UANG. Rhinoceros Beetle. The horned beetle Kapampangans call “uang’ is a member of the scarab family of beetles (Scarabaeidae). The two horns almost meet and by moving its head, the beetle can pinch with them. ‘Uangs’ make ideal play pets; captured beetles are often tied to a hanging sugarcane stalk on which to feed. The uang is a strong bug; it can escape danger by digging and burying itself underground.
23. PIRIS or ULAD BUGSUKAN. Hairy Caterpillar. A common name for the larvae of members of the order Lepidoptera ( butterflies and moths). In Kapampangan, “piris” refers to the spiny and hairy caterpillar variety which causes an itchy rash when touched.
Picture Sources:
Moth: commons.wikimedia.org
Cicada: songsofinsects.com
Grasshopper: animalia-life.com
Flying termite: www.colonialpest.com
Antlion: www.opsu.edu
Bombardier beetle: en.wikipedia.org
Cicada: songsofinsects.com
Filed Cricket: www.alamy.com
Click Beetle: www.australianmuseum.net
Whirligig (water beetele): bugguide.net
Mite: identifyus.com
Rhinoceros beetle: turbosquid.com
Mole cricket, St.Andrew’s Spider : www.asknature.org
Hairy caterpillar: www.shutterstock.com
All others: free clip art
Wikipedia.org
Have you heard of "kamaksi" as another name for "kanabsi," the green "durun?" How about "tatad?" These ar elike white worms which must be larvae of some bug.
ReplyDeleteHave you heard of "kamaksi" as another name for "kanabsi," the green "durun?" How about "tatad?" These ar elike white worms which must be larvae of some bug.
ReplyDeletealitaptap?
ReplyDeletebaka baka
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