Entomophagy: insects as food across cultures

Edible Insects

What's for dinner?" It is a household question of old, often asked with full of longing and bugging with anticipation of a satisfying dish. "What's for dinner?" you asked and the chef speaks out the menu. For starters, a serving of hot termite egg soup. A Caesar salad topped with worm crisps, baked to perfection, or just Mopane worms, salted and ready to eat. You are to choose from different courses set for the evening: A platter of fried mixed cicadas, locusts, mantises and grasshoppers; steamed giant water bug, ground into paste with chili (hot or extra hot) and eaten with a choice of sticky rice or a much preferred mealworm fried rice; and Oven-baked crickets seasoned with Thai green curry, great with an ice-cold bottle of light beer. For the non-beer drinkers, pure grain vodka infused with a yellow scorpion, smooth and tasty. Last, a meal does not end without dessert: Giant queen ants covered in rich dark chocolate; a giant hornet's honey; caramelized fried cockroaches and the kids may take home antlix or tequilalix worm lollies or a toffee scorpion candy. "What's for your dinner?" Your longing must have died as the dodo. Your anticipation, however, may have been correct, Bugging.

Insects are the largest and most diverse class in the animal kingdom. The six-legged crawlers, with the exception of some that do fly, outnumber all other plant and animal groups. Their abundance can be inferred to be overwhelming. Entomology is the science concerned with the study of insects which involves the description, classification and evolution of these critters. The study also includes of the improving knowledge of these insects that are helpful and harmful to humans (James R. Baker, Insects and Humans). People have often complain of insects of which have reached the status of a pest. Locusts destroy crops, bee's sting and some carry diseases to humans. it's a bug's life. But how exactly are they helpful? It is for good eating, and people in some countries have been eating insects for centuries. It is called "insect eating" or Entomophagy, gusto for the pleasures of eating insects.

If you can't beat them, eat them!

Eat insects? Disgusting, you say. But it is only in some cultures that the consumption of insects is considered unacceptable. In many parts of the world these little creatures are seen as a useful and nutritious food supplement (a Beetle a day, July 6, 1999), some might see it even as a regular diet. For centuries insect consumption has been part of the everyday diet of many of the world's human inhabitants from the Aborigines of Australia and their favored delicacy of Witjutie grubs to the night markets of Thailand where crisp, fried Locusts and Beetles are a favorite snack to be consumed with an ice cold beer! Some people squirm and are disgusted upon site of a crawling insect. Imagine seeing it in a served plate, size does not matter and certainly no amount of preparation and presentation would help. People in the western regions have closed their minds to entomophagy but in doing so have forgotten that these are one of the most nutritious foods available, higher in protein levels than chicken and cholesterol free. Makes you strong and good for the heart!

Forty-four kinds of insects are considered edible by the National Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine. To be absolutely sure that they're safe to eat, it is advised that it be cooked first. Grilling over an open fire is the method favored in the countryside but it can also be stirred or deep-fried or added to a curry or other hot dish. Country people usually remove the wings, hard exoskeletons and (sometimes) the intestines before cooking. When tender some species are devoured with a chili dip or added to a spicy salad (a Beetle a day, July 6, 1999).

Insectivores mean "insect eaters." The most common of insectivores are shrews but also include moles, desmans and hedgehogs. Insectivores are useful to humans because of their great consumption of insects, most of which are considered pests (Charles Ripper, Moles and Shrews). It even includes scorpions and spiders where it is also a devoured treat, the same as insects. Their usefulness is now threatened as man joins the mammalian order "Insectivora."

All of these Insects are grown especially for human consumption and meet all strict health and safety guidelines. The most common of the edible insects, some of the world's best known insect delicacies and other value added specialties - how they may be prepared into a tasty treat and served into one's hearty content are as follows:

1. Ants and Termites

Ants feed on many different things usually depending on the species and the region where they are found. Common diet would include seeds, grains and honey. For those that we ordinarily see, they are known to be food raiders often focused on the sweets. They pick up where you left out. Ants aren't as sweet as some imagine it would taste like, bit spicy to be the exact description of those who have tried. But the often characterized as industrious insects still found their way to the sweet stuff, or in it! All their hard work paid off.

Peppermint flavored lollipop, which contains real farm raised ants. The Ants are specially bred Polyrachis Black Ants found in China, and they have a spicy peppery taste similar to chili peppers. Ants are said to be good for giving you an energy boost as it contains energy giving enzymes and its rich in formic acid good for your immune system, and the peppermint is great for freshening your breath. it's sugar free, too! Columbia offers a nutty and tasty treat; hand toasted giant queen Leafcutter Ants coated in the finest Belgian chocolate. Every spring when the rains come the Guane Indians collect the new queens when they are emerging from their underground nests, only one queen ant is needed in a colony so the new queens have to leave. They probably wished they didn't. They have been collecting these ants every spring when they fly from their nests to toast in a clay pot over an open fire for centuries, and they are considered a rare delicacy. Some ancient medicinal practices in southeastern region of Asia are red ants boiled in water as soup. It is believed to be a cure for diabetes.

Termites or "white ants" although not related to the true ants, both considered as the true social insects, does not come short of joining the food chain.

A termite's maid diet is wood. To obtain this they eat trees, shrubs, field crops and the woodwork of buildings. it's hard to imagine that they remain to be pale colored and soft-bodied insects. Termites are grilled and their eggs, savored in tasty and spicy seasonings, are used to make paste and delicious soup in certain regions of Africa and Australia.

3. Hornets

Farmed by an old Japanese lady in Kyushu Island, the Giant Japanese Hornet is used to make honey. This is a completely incredible honey - literally! The Giant Japanese Hornet is the largest species of wasp in the world, and it contains special enzymes in its body which are reputed to increase strength and energy levels. Giant Japanese Hornets have one of the most incredible stamina's of any living creature and this stamina can be temporarily passed into the system of those who consume it. In fact, so certain are the Japanese of its properties, that the Japanese athletes consumed Giant Hornet enzymes before competing in the 2000 Olympic Games. No attestation was made, however, that the medals won were attributed to the honey. This honey is collected in a farm on a remote Island in Southern Japan; the hornet is placed on a needle to enable the enzymes in its body to be released into the honey. The honey is very fluid and tastes delicious, somewhat like honey that has been mixed with port or brandy. It is suggested that the honey taken with your favorite alcoholic beverage, but may be used as one would to any other honey. It is said to give a pick-me-up effect.

4. Worms

Worms are not insects. However, these worms belong to the species of arthropods classified as insects, edible insects! These are not flatworms, ringworms, earthworms, leeches or other kinds of parasitic worms that first come to mind. Worms originating in England are made tasty treats for tea time. These tasty little snacks are oven baked and not fried. Good new for the health buffs and gym rats.

The worms, from the class of insects and order tricladida, are farm raised specially for human consumption and are fed on a diet of select grains and cereals. They taste very similar to toasted popcorn and are seasoned with BBQ. For the Esses and Hombres in Mexico is a treat that surely makes anyone gone loco. A Tequila flavored lollipop, which contains the same real edible worm, makes a very extraordinary kick on every shot of lollies. it's a delicious candy version of Mezcal with a worm in the bottom of the bottle. It makes a tasty and nutritious addition to the candy. Chupa chups is not the only one with surprises on every stick. Last, the natives of South Africa fancies Mopane worms from the order Lepidoptera. Mopane's are a staple part of the diet in Southern Africa. They are harvested twice a year and commonly sold in the local markets. The mopane worm is the brightly colored caterpillar of the Emperor Moth, which is one of the world's largest moths, and the caterpillar lives on the leaves of the Mopane tree - hence the name. The worms are hand picked or shaken off the trees. The local collectors squeeze them to remove bright green 'guts' and then they are cooked in a cauldron of salty water until the water has evaporated, they are then dried in the sun. Once dried, they can be stored for many months. Their protein content is three times that of beef, weight for weight, and they are traditionally cooked in a stew containing tomatoes and onions. The biggest worms have the best flavor as they contain more fat. The texture is similar to tofu or soy meat and they taste a little like dried fish, but they seem to soak up the flavor of whatever they are cooked with. Mopane's can also be eaten as they are as a snack like, 'jerky'.

5. Spiders and Scorpions

Spiders and Scorpions belong to the class of Arachnids. They are not insects; one distinction would be they crawl on more than six limbs. Most spiders and scorpions, however, are insectivores. Following the food chain where energy passes from one to another, the benefits derived from eating insects will much be the same as eating spiders and scorpions.

Tarantulas, a large spider, mainly eat insects and other arthropods, using ambush as their primary method. The biggest tarantulas can kill small animals. Most are harmless to humans, and some are popular in the exotic pet trade while others are eaten as food. These spiders are found in tropical and desert regions around the world. A village in Cambodia harvests these spiders from the forest, de-fanged one by one and sold in the market. Tarantula's are fermented as wine and was said to be a cure for back pains and sleepless nights. But the most popular is to make it hot and crispy. Deep fried Tarantulas are sold like a take out snacks for 10 cents a piece. People travel far for this native delicacy. A gourmand would hand pick this unusual treat and according to them, the best ones have crunchy limbs and the protein rich bodies still juicy.

A close relative of spiders are scorpions. Scorpions have a long and slender body with a segmented tail that ends in a bulb-like poison gland or stinger. Scorpions are nocturnal, usually hiding under stones, bark, wood or other objects where they wait or search for prey. Chief foods are small insects, spiders, centipedes, earthworms, and other scorpions. The body juices of the prey are eaten by the scorpion. Then the scorpion end up in a cold plate waiting to be devoured for its extraordinary effects. Scorpions are considered an exotic delicacy in regions of China, Japan and Thailand. Usual preparation is the same as spiders, deep fried and salted. In Japan, baby scorpions are eaten live as a thrilling practice. Simply grab the scorpion by its tail, still with the stinger, bite it, munch it and taste its juices. That's a taste of its own medicine. In China, farm raised yellow scorpions are prepared to fit the modern way of living and a possible score with the ladies: Oven baked and hand dipped in Belgian dark chocolate. The experience is something like having a break with Kitkat; a crisp wafer like texture and a pleasant nutty taste similar to walnut. Offer the lady with a drink, a very dramatic Scorpion Martini with the scorpion as alternative to olive; pure grain vodka infused with yellow scorpion specially bred in southern china. The scorpion is first put through a special detoxifying process then infused in the vodka for 3 months, the scorpion imparts a pleasant soft woody taste to the vodka, it also effectively smoothes off the sharp edge. Alcohol infused with a scorpion is said to possess many excellent health properties when drunk, such as helping to increase libido, lowering blood pressure & helps remove toxins in the bloodstream. Scorpion vodka is best served straight from the freezer, but it is also a pleasant partner to a simple mixer such as tonic. Once you have finished the vodka you can then move on to the scorpion which has been carefully detoxified so that it is 100% safe to eat. Then offer her a treat, a toffee scorpion candy. Score!

The insects are suggested to be farm raised with a controlled diet rather than having one from the wild. This is to ensure the health of those who eat them that the insects are free from any toxins arising form pesticides or from infectious diseases they may carry.

Entomophagy is a big part of the culture of those mentioned countries and its people. Eating insects and its health and medicinal benefits have been passed for centuries by their predecessors. For some, it is a way of life. For others, it is a means of living. For a certain few, it is for survival. Modern Entomologists are researching extensively these insects as possible source of food and not merely as a food supplement. Insects are abundant and easy to farm than cows, chickens or pigs and require little amount of space. "In terms of nutritional content and simple cost-effectiveness it would be much more sensible to raise bugs than cattle." "It takes a lot of fodder, a large field and great effort to raise a single cow. Since insects eat little, don't require much space and breed so rapidly, it would cost a lot less to produce the same amount of protein" (a Beetle a day, July 6, 1999).

Studies show and has constantly given warnings of a possible widespread of famine in the next millennium. Can eating insects help fight hunger and promote biodiversity? The answer may be yes, but only is people can over the "yuck" factor and view that entomophagy has been a centuries old practice. After all, a person is bound to consume at least a pound of insects in his lifetime, whether conscious about it or not. However, insect eating has yet to arrive at the level of general social acceptance.