In the central African nation of Uganda, gambles are being waged on when this year's grasshopper season will begin.

Stripped of their wings and legs then fried with onions, nsenene - or grasshoppers as they are known locally - are a seasonal delicacy in Uganda.

Nsenene are also known as bush crickets. They are most commonly consumed during Uganda's wet season.

But climate changes being experienced across Africa have made predicting the rains a difficult proposition.

For those in the grasshopper business, catching the season just right can mean the difference between a successful season or having to sell your possessions to repay loans.

Grasshopper traps are simple to assemble, but running them costs money.

Corrugated zinc sheets act to stop the insects when they start flying and drums serve to catch them, but it is the electricity powering high-wattage bulbs used to attract them that is expensive to run.

Once the insects fall into the drum there is no way out.

The first bugs of the season are the worth the most, but it can be a costly mistake to fire up the traps too soon.

Dealing with Uganda's constant power shortages is one thing, but timing it just right is another.

Dennis Kyanda has been setting traps for many seasons now and says a living can be made from judging the season right.

"When it's a good catch we can get about a hundred bags and each one weighs about 150 kilograms or more," he said.

"In a good season I can get as much to survive for two years, but in a bad season it may only keep me for a few months."

Grasshoppers are a family business.

Mr Kyanda's 14-year-old son Francis has been helping out his father and learning how business is done for three seasons now.

"I like them because they are sweet," Francis told the ABC.

In a Kampala slum, Mr Kyanda has tapped into the local power grid to light his field.

He pays an estimated amount to the owner of the line and at the end of the season they will have to square up.

Across Africa power is in short supply. It is just another hurdle to overcome in the high-risk, potentially high-reward nature of doing business in Africa.

High-wattage bulbs lure grasshoppers to the drums and when they jump against the corrugated zinc sheets they fall in. ( ABC: Ginny Stein )

Preparing grasshoppers for cooking

While they are considered a delicacy for many Ugandans, nsenene are also a valuable source of protein.

They are also an important source of income from those employed to prepare them for cooking.

The legs and wings of each grasshopper must be removed before cooking.

Dorothy Nassali says she looks forward to this time of year.

"I come early and start plucking off the wings and the legs. For convenience I use a knife because just using my fingers hurts after a while," she said.

"In a day I can pluck about 20 mugs. For that I am paid $4."

The timing of the grasshoppers' arrival has long been a mystery.

Traditionally it has been believed that nsenene fell from the skies.

Ensenene zagudde - Luganda for 'grasshoppers have fallen' - is a common phrase used to announce their arrival.

Now efforts are being made to build sustainable harvests by breeding grasshoppers.