The Bug Bandwagon—Are You Jumping On?

There is so much that is truly disturbing in our society—child pornography and other forms of abuse, sex trafficking, drug addictions, the invasion of tens of thousands of military-age men through our southern border, and so on—that it’s difficult to classify the media’s promotion of eating bugs as a sustainable way of feeding the planet the same as the previously mentioned societal ills. At the very least it can be considered another symptom of a truly sick society.

To support their bizarre ideologies, these bugs-as-food promoters cite the fact that billions of people in Africa and Southeast Asia eat bugs all the time.  When was the last time you aspired to be like people in those areas in any way?  In their technological advances?  Professional achievements?  Living standards?  Medical care?  If their ways are so much more advanced, why do so many of them want to come here?

Maybe one reason is because here we don’t eat bugs.  Voluntarily.

One popular food storage blogger recently posted an article entitled “Bugs You Can Eat for Survival.”  How disturbing is that? 

Isn’t one of the reasons we store food and prepare for challenges is so that we and our loved ones aren’t forced to become like animals and eat bugs to survive?

I’m happy to learn about edible weeds.  Goosefoot is pretty good.  Russian thistle—tumbleweeds—are tasty when sautéed.  At least, the young shoots are.  However, hell will freeze over before I eat bugs intentionally.  (She says, as she still has a foot of snow in her backyard and no sign of spring anywhere.)  So no, the title should have been “Bugs Your Neighbors Can Eat for Survival.”  And there are quite a few.  Of course, it will take them all day to get enough to eat, but that’s their problem.  (Well, maybe not if you live back East.  You folks have a lot of bugs.)

Backpacking gurus—the hardcore enthusiasts that disappear far into the wilderness for weeks at a time—like to know the wild edibles that will sustain them in a crisis. Even though I don’t really understand their passion, I can accept that they find enjoyment in their endeavors.  So the following is what they recommend.  You need to know so you can share this valuable information with your less prepared neighbors when the time comes. 

Grasshoppers and crickets.  Pick the legs off so they don’t get stuck in your teeth.  They carry nematodes, so be sure to cook them before eating.  If you prefer to get your bug from a bag, Amazon sells cricket flour, also known as acheta flour.  It’s been approved by the European Union for human consumption, so you know it’s gotta be good. 

Ants.  Find an anthill, stir them up, put a stick in the anthill, and when the ants charge it, dunk the stick in water to drown the ants.  Rinse and repeat until you have enough for dinner.  Boil them for 6 minutes to neutralize the acid.

Termites.  Catch and roast.

Grubs.  Skewer and cook over an open flame until crispy. 

Wood lice.  These are this planet’s only terrestrial crustaceans.  You probably know them better as roly-polies, pill bugs, potato bugs, or sow bugs.  Supposedly they taste like shrimp.  No, we are not doing any taste tests here for you.  Boil them several minutes.  These also carry parasites—roundworms.

Earth worms.  Tell your neighbor to be sure to squish the poop out first.  And they should be cooked first since they can carry parasites.

Stinkbugs.  Soak in warm water for 5-10 minutes and then roast.

Scorpions.  Pro-tip—remove the stinger first.  Roast over a fire.

Earwigs.  Sauté. 

Aphids.  Boil. 

Maggots.  Boil or sauté.

Dragonflies.  Good luck catching the adults.  The larvae are easier.  Remove the wings and cook for a few seconds. 

The following are apparently edible but best avoided due to difficulty in catching, risks from venom, inherent toxicity, or parasites they carry: 

Slugs

Snails

Bees

Wasps

Tarantulas

Caterpillars

As eating bugs is apparently so vogue now, don’t hesitate to broach the topic at the office watercooler or next neighborhood barbecue.  Get those conversations started.  Ask your neighbors if they spray for pests.  You know, because you need to know where you’ll be able to forage when the food runs out.  Ask them for recipes for how to prepare bugs.  Then maybe they’ll leave you alone and not come begging for food when things fall apart.  Or maybe, just maybe, they’ll start thinking about storing some real food for their families.

Links to related posts: 

Are you kidding me?

 

References:

https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/a20439873/cricket-foods/

https://www.backpacker.com/survival/12-edible-bugs-that-could-help-you-survive/

https://www.foodstoragemoms.com/bugs-you-can-eat-for-survival/

https://www.thejournal.ie/is-cricket-powder-available-in-the-eu-and-is-it-safe-5995369-Feb2023/