Worms in Thai

[Kanga Japan]

NON MAI (หนอนไหม) are listed as both silkworms and wood worms. Also listed as silkworms is TUA MAI (ตัวไหม).

I understand that NON MAI is literally 'wood worm'.

1, Is silkworm an incorrect name for NON MAI?

2. Are they both eaten in Thailand?

Thanks for your help.

[AyG]

Check your spelling and tone marks. ไม้ is wood (high tone), ไหม is silk (rising tone).

Both words are used for silk worms.

[Kanga Japan]

Thanks for your reply AyG. I appreciate the corrections. It should therefore be:

NON MAI - wood worms (หนอนไม้)

NON MAI - silkworms (หนอนไหม)

TUA MAI - silkworms (ตัวไหม)

Possibly a stupid question, but are they all the same insects, or slightly different?

Thanks for your help.

[AyG]

Woodworm are not eaten in Thailand to the best of my knowledge. To be honest, I don't think I've ever heard of woodworms in Thailand. Termites, however...

Silkworms, deep fried are a crispy treat.

[Kanga Japan]

Thanks AyG.

Sounds delicious.

Wood worms are mentioned quite a bit on various sites relating to Thailand. Here are a couple of examples (probably copying each other):

http://importfood.com/thai_insects.html

http://goarticles.com/article/5-Popular-Insect-Thai-Delicacies/6979919/

I think perhaps that there is a mix up in the translations between wood worms and silkworms. I guess I should write:

NON MAI - wood worms (aka silkworms)

NON MAI - silk worms (aka wood worms)

What do you think?

[AyG]

Doesn't it strike you as suspicious that neither of those sites mentions silkworms, which are a popular snack? They're definitely in the top 5 insect treats here. Probably #1 or #2.

Unless anyone comes back and says that they eat woodworm, I'd suggest you stick with silkworm (NON MAI, TUA MAI) and ignore the woodworm.

[littlefunko]

They are different types of worm. The pronunciation in Thai is slightly different in tones but when put in English, some people use MAI for both, which probably confuses you.

หนอนไม้

Personally I think pronouncing 'Nhon Mai' or 'Nhon Maii' is more accurate for this one.

But in Thai, we don't actually call anything หนอนไม้. I think you're probably referring to หนอนไม้ไผ่ (Nhon Mai phai) or known as bamboo caterpillar.

Mai = wood, phai = bamboo / mai phai = bamboo wood

These are widely eaten in Thailand and very popular.

หนอนไหม (Nhon Mhai) < should be pronounced this way accounting the tone

Mhai = silk

so these are silk worms used to produce silks.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG,

As I am not used to seeing them and have no knowledge of them personally, it's difficult for me to say, but I guess the problem originates from the fact that there are 2 forms of NON MAI - one literally translated as SILK WORM and the other literally translated as WOOD WORM.

It would be interesting to verify the scientific term for the WOOD WORM. I think then we may be able to determine the difference (if there is any).

I will wait to see if any further comments are received. If not, I will probably indicate them as 'silk worms, aka wood worms'. I think that is better than ignoring the term 'wood worm' completely. I would be interested to know which Thai script they use when they sell the NON MAI. That may help in solving this problem.

Thanks again for your help.

[AyG]

Actually, I think littlefunko (a native speaker, I believe) has provided the answer.

"But in Thai, we don't actually call anything หนอนไม้. I think you're probably referring to หนอนไม้ไผ่ (Nhon Mai phai) or known as bamboo caterpillar."

In other words, what you're calling wood worm (หนอนไม้) doesn't actually exist, or possibly it is a contraction for NON MAI PHAI (หนอนไม้ไผ่) which is bamboo caterpillar (Omphisa fuscidentalis). I'm presuming you already have NON MAI PHAI, which is very popular amongst insect-eating aficionados.

NON MAI (หนอนไหม) and TUA MAI(ตัวไหม) both refer to silkworms (Bombyx Morii L.).

(This explanation also fits in with what I saw when I Google Image searched หนอนไม้ (NON MAI).)

Anyway, you might be interested in http://www.iufost.org/iufostftp/Revd%20Sirithon%20Chapter%2016.pdf

[Kanga Japan]

Dear littlefunko and AyG,

littlefunko

Thank you for that information. Regarding the tones, I am indicating the transliteration according to the RTGS system. I appreciate the explanation anyway.

As AyG said, I think you have clarified this problem. It must be a contraction of NON MAI PHAI. I was already aware of NON MAI PHAI, but the possible connection did not click.

AyG

Thank you for your information also. That is a fantastic site which you attached. Very useful.

I hope I have not made both of you hungry, talking about all these delicious worms.

Thank you again.