Local and scientific knowledge of edible and crop-damaging crickets in Kousseri, Far North Region of Cameroon

This pilot study investigated local knowledge, perceptions, and practices regarding crickets in Kousseri, northern Cameroon, and compared them with entomological observations. Data were collected through household surveys involving 200 respondents, complemented by field and household sampling that identified six cricket species and morphospecies. Results showed that local knowledge was strongly influenced by sociocultural factors. Respondents demonstrated relatively detailed knowledge of cricket habitats, seasonal occurrence, appearance, sexual dimorphism, and associations with crops, although local classification was mainly based on house- and field-associated forms rather than on the full taxonomic diversity recorded. Crickets were perceived both as useful and harmful: 47% of respondents considered them harmful, 39% both useful and harmful, and only 7% exclusively useful. Their perceived benefits included use as food for humans and animals, fishing bait, children’s games, and, to a lesser extent, traditional medicine. Perceived harmful effects were mainly associated with crop damage and household nuisance, including consumption or damage of food and household materials but also noise nuisance. Although 115 respondents identified crickets as crop pests, their perceived economic impact was generally low, with 65.8% reporting yield losses below 5%. These results indicate that local knowledge encompasses multiple ecological, cultural, and socioeconomic dimensions of cricket–human interactions. Further field and household studies are needed to quantify species-specific abundance, crop damage and effects on crop yield, as well as the extent of cricket-related household nuisances in Kousseri.