edible bugs?

S

seth

Joined
Apr 23, 2008
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197
while i dont exactly have any interest in eating the little creatures, if i ever did have a situation where i needed to rely on them for protiens ect. it'd be nice to know that what im eating wont make me sick.

i know that milipedes produce hydrogen cyanide, probably not the best meal, and i couldnt stomach eating a centepede, id rather stay hungry.. what about the basics? locusts, crickets, grasshoppers, woodlouse, caterpillars, moths, butterflys.. these are usually easily found.
 
Grasshoppers have parasites in them, so cook them well.

I'm eating critters that once had fur on em, but if you want to eat bugs, bon apetite!
 
i dont want to eat bugs !!! i preffer the critters that once had fur also, or feathers, but, the general knowledge is good to have.
 
Just watch Bizzare foods with A. Zimmerman:thumbup:

Grub, Worm are always good....not that I have tried them anyway:eek:

I would much rather skin something if I can rather than eat a gob of pus....eck.

I know where your coming from though....if its a last resort it would be good to know what is actually not going to kill or make you sick/weak.

I am interested to see some video of you iron stomach fellas out in the field eating this madness!
 
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I think I would target worms and grubs. Easy to catch and I think safer than other options.
 
Crap, between me and my uncooked rice, and you with the bugs, we can have a gala dining experience. :D:thumbup:
 
I have targeted raw ants. Not bad in small quantities.

Raw grubs and worms. Ugh! I don't even want to think about it.

Used to attend the Insectival (annual insect event) at University of Georgia; they had all kinds of edible insects (lots of free samples), but they were cooked in rather elaborate recipes (and were quite good and apparently very nutritious). Cooking seems like a real good idea to me. Also, if you do decide to gather insects (or plants) stay away from roadsides and other maintained areas; you could end up eating herbicides and insecticides. You might want to check out the Eat-A-Bug Cookbook by David Gordon; I enjoyed my copy.
 
I think I could handle a few creepy crawlies cook/roasted over a fire.....But straight out of the wood/earth just does not appeal to me.

I might have to pick that book up, sounds interesting!!!

guyfalks said:
I have targeted raw ants. Not bad in small quantities.

Raw grubs and worms. Ugh! I don't even want to think about it.

Used to attend the Insectival (annual insect event) at University of Georgia; they had all kinds of edible insects (lots of free samples), but they were cooked in rather elaborate recipes (and were quite good and apparently very nutritious). Cooking seems like a real good idea to me. Also, if you do decide to gather insects (or plants) stay away from roadsides and other maintained areas; you could end up eating herbicides and insecticides. You might want to check out the Eat-A-Bug Cookbook by David Gordon; I enjoyed my copy.
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I imagine the necessary nerve appears in context and time of need...

Think of it this way, if you're sitting in your living room and someone hands you a wriggling worm a pointy thing and says "Here stab a hole in this."
You would likely refuse in disgust.

...but if you're out fishing...well then it makes sense and most people can probably get through putting a worm on a hook without losing their lunch.

I bet eating the various creepy crawlies is the same...If you're hungry enough, and far from the hypoalergenic comforts of suburbia...you'll do it.

That said, while i could probably nibble a few ants...I would have to be pretty darned hungry to scarf a grub or worm, cooked or raw.
 
A buddy of mine used to eat Earth worms and Moths (as a party trick ?!!!!) both while they were still alive and he never got sick.....maybe he was just lucky !
 
Lb. for Lb. insects have 4 times the protein as meat. I don't know where it was but there was a show on a guy back in texas that was raising them for food. Not a tree hugger but in regards to friendliness to the earth and what not they grow to edible age much much faster than regular furry things and are cheaper to raise not to mention the protein.I have eaten things from grasshoppers to crickets and mealworms. the crickets were actually really good. It was some African dish made on a flatbread (kinda like a fajita)
 
Most bugs are fairly harmless, most but not all, spiders are bugs but not insects are nasty, as are scorpians, although the poisons I think can be eaten, best to chop off the head of a spider and the tail of the scorpian though, for other bugs if the smell like almonds then best to avoid.
definately more palatable when fried though - and with a large glass of water.
Also if you pich your nose when you eat you taste a lot less!
 
pitdog said:
A buddy of mine used to eat Earth worms and Moths (as a party trick ?!!!!) both while they were still alive and he never got sick.....maybe he was just lucky !
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Sounds like an old friend of mine...I always thought alcohol probably played a role in his not getting sick, but I've eaten worms and crickets with no ill effects.
 
+1 for cutting off the scorpion tail. Last thing I would want is to get one lodged in my throat.

Used to catch tons of them back home in Phoenix! Evil little things.

iBlade said:
Most bugs are fairly harmless, most but not all, spiders are bugs but not insects are nasty, as are scorpians, although the poisons I think can be eaten, best to chop off the head of a spider and the tail of the scorpian though, for other bugs if the smell like almonds then best to avoid.
definately more palatable when fried though - and with a large glass of water.
Also if you pich your nose when you eat you taste a lot less!
Click to expand...
 
My "Uncle" sent me to a number of survival schools over the years, too, and every one of them featured bugs on the menu — not to mention having eaten bugs with the indigenous personnel in various places in the world. Admittedly, some of them weren't bad, but some were less than a gastronomic delight. I'll eat 'em if I'm hungry, but I sure don't seek them out for the main course if I have a choice. Your palate may vary.
 
general rule: Avoid anything hairy. Tarantulas, wolf spiders, caterpillars that have air, etc.

Other than that and the ones with bright coloring (blister beetles, monarchs, bees, etc) you are somewhat fine eating anything, but do boil them first. It also makes them a little more palatable and crunchy. I just hate the spray factor on some of them, thats why I sometimes, sometimes, will have a little water in my mouth too.
 
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