Top 5 Edible Insects That Will Save Your Life

[Sentry18]

Yum.


https://www.survivopedia.com/top-5-edible-insects-that-will-save-your-life/

Top 5 Edible Insects That Will Save Your Life

By
Bob Rodgers
September 19, 2019

Just reading the title of this article will make some folks squirm.

After all, the thought of eating insects is not an easy one to swallow. However, once you manage to control your impulses and understand that edible insects can save your life, you can add another source of survival food to your list of “edible stuff.”

There’s a lot of research online about the nutritional value of edible insects, and there are quite a few Asian countries in which restaurants will tempt you with a plate full of fried crickets if you pay them a visit.


Since for most people out there eating a plate of edible insects is more like a “dare” situation or an unusual experience to try, in certain cases the small crawlers that disgust you can actually save your life.

The survival story of Reginald Foggerdy
Back in 2015, I took a great deal of interest in the survival story of a 62-year-old Australian man. Besides being an incredible survival story, it also teaches us about human determination and the things we are willing to do, to see our loved ones once more.

The story of Reginald Foggerdy, a hunter and experienced camel tracker started when he spotted a wandering camel in the Great Victoria Desert in Western Australia. He decided to abandon the car driven by his brother in order to pursue a camel in the hope that he would make a few bucks.

He never expected to get lost since he has experience in tracking camels and yet, he embarked on his real-life wilderness survival trial. Despite all the odds against him, he managed to stay alive for six days without any gear. According to the police officer who found him, he went hunting wearing only a t-shirt, shorts and sandals.

Once he realized, there’s no way he can get back to the road, he decided to stay put, hoping for the rescue teams to find him. His last couple of days of survival were achieved by lying down under a tree and eating ants.

Although it is hard to speculate how much longer he could have survived, the rescue team said that he was barely holding on and he “was extremely dehydrated, disoriented and basically delusional.”

Some people speculate that it’s nothing but a miracle that he managed to survive so long without water, while others say that eating ants is the only thing that kept him alive. Many people say that they would die rather than eating insects, but in certain cases, this may be your only survival option. I assume that Mister Foggerdy wasn’t thrilled either by this idea. However, he knew that eating ants can save his life, and he went for it.



Edible insects are the food of the future
As a nation, we are used to eating more than three meals a day for the majority of our lives. And this goes without mentioning snacks or other “comfort foods.” For the average American, going a few hours without food is something that can be handled very well. Going a few days without food is unacceptable in our culture. The food industry makes sure our eating habits are not altered and the number of people asking themselves what would happen if this industry will one day collapse, is unnoticeable. After all, not everyone is a “crazy, paranoid prepper” like you and me.

However, even with all the abundance we have, the people in charge have realized that it’s harder and harder to keep us fed and they are looking into ways to improve the farming sector, while vertical gardens are becoming more and more popular, the need for proteins cannot be covered by vegetables alone.

Some scientists are developing lab meat, while others have turned their attention to the insect world. There are many studies being conducted in order to establish how our world could deal with food shortages by farming and consuming edible insects.

 

[Sentry18]

Edible insects in North America
In North America, like in many places of the world, there are plenty of edible insects that could provide the nutritional needs for a human to survive another day.

If you happen to get stranded in the wilderness like Mister Foggerdy did, you should know what type of edible insects can be found in your area and how to cook and eat those insects.

It will not be the end of the world if you have to count on edible insects to supplement your diet. You will adapt easily if you have no other choice and you will be thankful you have something to eat when your stomach growls.

My top 5 edible insects of choice

1. Honeypot ants
In the western parts of the U.S, as well as in Arizona, New Mexico, you can find several species of honeypot ants. These ants are quite common in arid and semi-arid regions. These are edible insects with good nutritional value, and the ones you should gather are the specialized worker ants (repletes).

The worker ants can be recognized easily due to their abdomen being bigger than the ones of normal ants. They are filled with food destined for the colony to help it survive when food is scarce. If you get lost in the desert, you can eat honeypot ants, and you will survive to tell your story.

Honeypot ants can be identified by their color, especially green and blue. They can also be dark red in color and measure ¼ inch to ½ inch in length, but the most distinctive characteristic of these edible insects is their abdominal swellings.

How to eat honeypot insects:
You will need to dig up the ants, but once you do this, you can eat them raw, without any additional effort. They have a sweet taste since they are made up mostly of natural sugars and water. These ants are a refreshing treat that will keep you alive in the wild.


2. Short-horned grasshoppers
When it comes to eating grasshoppers, I must admit they don’t look too appealing to me. Grasshoppers can be found throughout North America in areas such as meadows, fields, hedgerows, and forests, but they are quite hard to catch, and you will need to spend a few hours before you manage to catch a good quantity. Short-horned grasshoppers range in size from 0.2 to 4 inches in length, and many species are green or light brown in color.

You are better off if you manage to improvise a trap or two, just to make sure you have enough for a proper meal. You will need to use a glass jar to catch these edible insects easily.

Dig a hole in the ground, place the jar in it and add some bait (such as fruits). Adding a little bit of water can also help as it will drown the insects that find their way inside.

How to eat short-horned grasshoppers:
Eating grasshoppers is a common habit in Asian countries because these insects provide protein and calcium. I recommended you cook these edible insects to make them safe to eat. You have the choice to boil, fry, or roast them and add the seasonings of your liking.

Another thing you should know is that the legs and wings have to be removed before eating the grasshoppers as these parts are difficult to swallow.


3. June Bugs
The June bug is a genus of beetle, and they are common species of edible insects that can be found across the planet. In North America, in the southeastern U.S., you can find the green June bug. In the western and southwestern U.S., you can find the fig eater June bug. The bugs are less than one inch in length, and their taste can be described as buttery or resembling walnuts.

Jun bugs have different colors, such as orange, yellow, red, green, brown, and blackish. June bugs can be found near lights, and the best way to catch them is to shine a flashlight onto a bed sheet at night.

How to eat June bugs:
In the old days, Native Americans used to eat June bugs by roasting them over the fire. You can use the same technique, or you can grill or fry them. You can eat both adults and larvae, and I recommend removing the legs and wings before doing so.


4. Honeybee larvae
The honeybee larvae are another good source of nutrients that you can count on when being stranded. Throughout North America, there are various species of honeybees that can be found. However, I must warn you that the Africanized bee is the most dangerous one and you should handle these insects with care.

When extracting larvae from Africanized bee, there’s a good chance to make them swarm. Not to mention that it can be rather difficult for inexperienced explorers to locate a beehive in the wild. However, once you manage to do so, your work will be rewarded.

The bee larvae you are searching for can be found in the honeycomb cells of the colony and, in general, are about the size of a fingernail. Since larvae are initially fed on royal jelly, these edible insects contain a decent amount of protein, sugars, fatty acids, B vitamins and traces of vitamin C.

How to eat honeybee larvae:
You can eat the larvae raw or cooked. They are sweet in taste and can provide a delicious treat that will not only keep you fed, but it will also help improve your morale. I know a few survivalists and bushcraft enthusiasts that prefer to fry honeybee larvae in butter. They say the taste is similar to bacon with a texture similar to mushrooms.


5. Mealworms
These disgusting worms are the larvae of the mealworm beetle, a small blackish beetle that is found across the U.S. Mealworms can be easily located in the wild with a little practice. Your main target areas should be dark and cool places that provide moist microhabitats.

To increase your chances of finding these edibles insects, try turning rocks and wood during nighttime. Compared to other insects, mealworms can be easily collected, and they do not pose a threat when being disturbed.

How to eat mealworms:
Although they don’t look appealing, these worms are in fact, a good food source that can be baked or fried. A close friend of mine served me some after frying them on low heat for 10 minutes with some salt and other condiments. Some survivalists recommend adding them to salads to have a complete meal. From personal experience, I can tell you that these edible insects taste like almonds or nuts.

I’ve heard that some people also prefer to eat mealworms raw, but I recommend cooking them. As far as I know, they can cause an allergic reaction. If you know you are allergic to shellfish, you should avoid eating mealworms.

A last word
Although edible insects could provide a good nutritional intake, eating them should be a last resort. You should consume the insects listed in this article only if you don’t manage to find something else.

Besides the edible insects listed in this article, there are numerous other insects (Tibicen Cicada, Formosan Termites, Hornworms, etc.) that can be eaten as part of a survival diet. In the wilderness, if you have no other choice than eating insects, remember to check that what you are eating is non-toxic and make sure to cook it properly.

 

[Weedygarden]

No, thank you.

 

[phideaux]

I have tried the grasshoppers,
Crispy.

If starving..
You will eat them and enjoy.

A friend of mine was POW in WWII, and lived off insects and critters such as lizards.

Jim

 

[Sentry18]

Definitely not my first choice in survival food, but hungry people will eat just about anything.

I am pretty sure the US/Canada are one of the few places on the planet who do not routinely eat bugs.

 

[camo2460]

When I was a Kid my Dad told me that the Black Carpenter Ants were Sour, so I went out a gathered some and tried them, he was right, to me they tasted like Lemonaid.

 

[Spikedriver]

Locusts are supposed to be quite nutritious. Still gross though. I'm not eating bugs if I can help it, but if necessary I'm down for it. Some bugs can have harmful parasites so I'm glad the author mentioned cooking them.

If I'm that hungry to eat bugs I'd probably go after some earthworms instead. Squeeze the mud out of them and boil them into a stew with whatever else I could find.

 

[Amish Heart]

Not eating bugs. Watch Ice Age Farmers latest. Tired of crazies thinking that they can control what we eating. Militant vegan whackos.
Hey, maybe vegans won't eat bugs, either.

 

[Sentry18]

Militant vegan whackos.

If two vegans are in a dispute is it still called "a beef"?

 

[phideaux]

If two vegans are in a dispute is it still called "a beef"?

I guess it depends on,
What's at" steak "


Jim

 

[Caribou]

Totally avoided the chocolate coated option. Get back to me when you get these bugs chocolate coated.

 

[Sentry18]

Totally avoided the chocolate coated option. Get back to me when you get these bugs chocolate coated.

How about a sucker instead?

 

[Caribou]

How about a sucker instead?

View attachment 24831

I'd rather have amber with a bug in it.

 

[Bacpacker]

All depends on how hungry you are. Wouldn't be anywhere near the top of my list, but if it's been a while since I've had any nutrition, well lets just say the menu will expand.

 

[Sentry18]

I would have to really be hurting to gobble down a bowl of bugs. However if you cooked 'em up in something else I don't think it would be as big of deal. Make a couple lbs of taco meat and toss in 1/2lb of small worms or crickets and you would barely notice them. I am betting that fast food places and school cafeterias have already been doing this to us for years.

 

[phideaux]

I have had to pick out the cockroaches from french fries at McDonald's , years ago.
Showed the manager, he offered me more fries.

I laughed and walked out..

They really didn't look bad , deep fried roach.

Jim

 

[Weedygarden]

I have had to pick out the cockroaches from french fries at McDonald's , years ago.
Showed the manager, he offered me more fries.

I laughed and walked out..

They really didn't look bad , deep fried roach.

Jim

I'd be willing to bet that we have all eaten many bugs in our lifetime, in processed foods. Who would know?

 

[Bacpacker]

It happens all the time. USDA guidelines allow a certain percentage of what I'll call filth. Canned foods, ground meats, anything packaged it's in all of it.

 

[lonewolf]

what no rabbits or squirrels where you live? we've got signal crayfish in the rivers. we've got pigeons, geese, ducks, pheasants, that's without starting on the smaller birds, badgers, wild boar, mink and deer.
it'll be a long time, maybe never, before I start eating creepy crawlies.

 

[viking]

Over the years I've eaten a fare amount of grasshoppers, twist the head off and pull the guts out, however, one time I found worms inside of a grasshopper and I have become cautious on the way I prepare them. Parasites within some insects may be dangerous.

 

[lonewolf]

worms and snails need to be purged before you eat them, 24 hour starvation so they exude any nasties.

 

[joel]

If I had honeybees, the last thing I would eat is there babies.
There are so many plants & small animals to grow & forge, that insects are way down the list.

 

[viking]

I forgot to add that I've probably eaten a lot of worms over the years while eating cherries, very likely one of many fruits that commonly have worms in them, all I'll say is they provide a little extra protein, besides, who's going to pull every cherry apart to check for worms, even if you could see them?

 

[lonewolf]

depends on how many one eats I suppose.
I don't want a load of worms in my gut so I would cut it in half first, either that or don't eat cherries.

 

[joel]

I saw crayfish/crawfish trap.

 

[joel]

 

[Hardcalibres]

what no rabbits or squirrels where you live? we've got signal crayfish in the rivers. we've got pigeons, geese, ducks, pheasants, that's without starting on the smaller birds, badgers, wild boar, mink and deer.
it'll be a long time, maybe never, before I start eating creepy crawlies.

All the nice alternatives get eaten very fast if everyone is relying upon wild food (ie communal diasaster rather than individual disaster).

I have eaten bugs during military survival training and then later during trips to China (where restaurants serve bug based foods).

Aversion to eating bugs is all in the mind - once you know what and how to prepare/eat them, they are just food.

Larvae are the best - they don't have an exoskeleton. Once you gut them, they are almost all meat.

 

[joel]

"All the nice alternatives get eaten very fast if everyone is relying upon wild food (ie communal diasaster rather than individual disaster)."

True, but Hogs & Crayfish/catfish will eat anything when hunger, including any animal trying to steal your food source & if something is left, compost it in your garden.

 

[Grizzleyette___Adams]

It is SO easy to remove the "ick" factor by roasting, then crumbling nutritious insects into a powder.

Moms everywhere know the trick of getting kids to eat super nutritious foods: hide it in plain sight.

It is said that certain insects have their own flavor which can actually enhance recipes and can even be used as a seasoning.

But then, I am Cajun, and some of us know how to make "strange meat" taste like it came from a five-star restaurant!

Bon Appetit!

(I suspect that folks will NOT be coming to my house when the SHTF because they know that they will be fed Cricket Jambalaya or Rattlesnake Gumbo or something equally delicious, lol.)

 

[elkhound]

very few bugs will cross my lips...lol...only ones biblically clean to eat for sure. this rule of thumb works pretty well to keep from accidentally killing ones self. heres examples i was out with a citizen scientist and was shown various 'bugs'.it was mentioned how toxic certain ones are.well one has same toxic stuff the puffer fish has and if you eat it you are dead. he told me there are cases where ones were eaten on a dare and it resulted in the person death. i was a witness to a wildlife biologist picking up a toxic bug and was told about it toxicity...well a few minutes later he removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes.he instantly yelled to high heaven the toxic stuff was on his hand and he poisioned his himself though his eye. thank goodness i had my pack on and was filled with water to flush his eye. in less than a minute the whites of his eye was sold red.

many moons ago i got very sick in washington state. we ate a bunch of clams and such we dug on beach. i became ill in night and had the shakes real bad.i think i had a touch of red tide.i was headed to alaska to my duty station.i crawled in my sleeping bag and didnt move for 3 days. i was one sick dog for sure.