Entomology: Eating Insects

[Ash Blue]

Entomophagy should be in the title.. Sorry!

Although I'm trying to become a genuine expert in foraging, I'm also going down a strange path of Entomophagy (eating insects). As a start of anything I research, it usually starts with internet research, moving on to books and practical experience. But as I'm starting with internet research, I'm finding it hard to find much info on insects in the UK that can be eaten (imagine an insect version of Food For Free) - Can anyone link me to any good online sources, books, etc?

A better question to ask would be what insects are not edible? I know their are thousands that can be eaten, and they are very high in protein. So it's probably better to learn the ones not to eat, otherwise I'd be spending the next 5 years learning about bugs.

 

[BOD]

Avoid brightly colored insects.

But stop reading about it and do it. Start with ants, crickets and grasshoppers

 

[santaman2000]

If you think about it most of us have already eaten bugs. Shrimp, etc. Just need to make the leap to land based insects.

 

[rik_uk3]

You won't get fat eating bugs.

 

[bushwacker bob]

You won't get fat eating bugs.

Thats the best reason I have heard to eat insects. If MacDonalds sold insect based dishes......................... I rest my case.

 

[Toddy]

..............and ant nests are protected in this country, so egg raiding isn't on.

I don't think there's a book on entomophagy, Ash Blue, however, slugs and snails can be purged, earthworms and woodlice are routinely used on survival courses (one tastes like bacon (ish) and the other like shrimp, apparantly). Other than that we don't really have 'big' insects worth foraging. Bees and wasps ? how desperate are you ? I suppose you could set up a light and catch moths

The secret to good foraging is to gain more energy from what you gather than you expend in the gathering.

There's a reason folks learned to farm and fish
If you have access then shore foraging (and I'd recommend a good course) and wildfowling, would keep you well fed.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Retired Member southey]

Try woodlice, yummy!

 

[spandit]

..............and ant nests are protected in this country, so egg raiding isn't on.

Really? I know there are some up in Holystone Wood but does that apply all over? When do they lay their eggs anyway?

 

[Skaukraft]

Lightly roasted ants gives any salad an interesting twist, and could replace lemonjuice.
Never eaten ant eggs, but have used them as bait for trout in small rivers a few times (using size 16 fly hooks).

 

[Toddy]

Wood ants it certainly does, though I think the little black ones that folks find in houses are fair game ........if you can find the nest, and it hasn't been poisoned.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[lannyman8]

Try woodlice, yummy!

What Dave said, they taste just like prawn and are very nice, the shell is good for upset tummys as well, calcium chloride i think???

worms are ok ish...

 

[BOD]

worms is not insects OT

 

[Toddy]

True, true..........but we don't have many buggits here, so we're inclined to put them in with the slugs, snails, woodlice and ants sort of thing.

I know that locusts are supposed to taste of butter dunno: my bother said that after he'd met a man in Kenya, who ate them every time they came through) but do grasshoppers..........they're tiny wee ones here and there's never very many of them in one place.

Leatherjackets, if you don't mind digging up the lawn ? What about caterpillars; the cabbage whites and the orange tips have been fluttering around this past week, so presumably they're thinking about laying eggs.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[hughtrimble]

Is the eating of insects: 'Arthropodaphagy'? Not to be confused with Anthropophagy that is. Just trying to recall some of my greek from years ago. Or perhaps Entomophagy?

 

[carabao]

My brother in laws back in the North East of Thailand regulary force feed me locusts deep fried with some soya sauce, sugar and chilli when we consume falling down juice taste quite nice bit shrimpy, and on my small holding have a large tamarind tree which Granny grows (not sure the correct word for farming ants) fire ants nests for the eggs which we eat boiled, fried, with fish or in curries again bit shrimpy

 

[ged]

... Entomology (eating insects). ...

I thought entomology was studying them, not eating them.

 

[santaman2000]

Thats the best reason I have heard to eat insects. If MacDonalds sold insect based dishes......................... I rest my case.

They'd find a way to make then fattening. LOL. Think about it. A hamburger isn't iherently fattening; but add fries, a sugary soft drink and supersize the whole thing? Then live on a Mickey D's diet for 5 or more meals a week.

 

[santaman2000]

True, true..........but we don't have many buggits here, so we're inclined to put them in with the slugs, snails, woodlice and ants sort of thing...

Same here. Worms and such aren't bugs (insects) as such but generally in this context we generally lump them all into the category of "bait."

 

[Ash Blue]

Sorry, Entomophagy is eating them, and Entomology is the study of them

 

[mrcairney]

Looks like your thinking about taking a bite out of that pork pie there, I mean tortoise.