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BAY AREA BUG EATING SOCIETY (B.A.B.E.S.) For All Of Your Bug Eating Needs |
####Short Stories From Our Viewers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!####
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I am a foodie with a passion for trying new and exotic cuisine. I have tasted all kinds of dishes from all over the world, but there was one dish that I had always been curious about: tarantulas.
It was in a small, obscure restaurant in Cambodia where I finally had the chance to try these delicious arachnids. I was a little apprehensive at first, but the owner of the restaurant convinced me to give them a try.
I was amazed at the taste. The legs were crispy and had a nutty flavor, while the body was soft and had a delicate, almost sweet taste. I savored every bite, and before I knew it, the plate was empty. I was left wanting more.
Since that first taste, I have made it a point to try tarantulas whenever I come across them on my travels. In some countries, they are even considered a delicacy, and they are often served as a street food snack.
I am always amazed by the different flavors and textures that I experience with each new tarantula dish. Some are spicier than others, while others have a more delicate flavor. No matter the taste, I always find them to be a delightful treat.
Eating tarantulas may not be for everyone, but for me, it is a unique and enjoyable experience. I have come to appreciate the taste and cultural significance of this unusual cuisine, and I will continue to seek out new and exciting dishes from all over the world.
Richard Deng When I was 7, I ate my first bug. Protein packed, nutrient rich, and delicious, I was entranced. I couldn't get enough of that bug taste in the back of my mouth, so I started collecting bugs en masse, giving me my world famous "bug jar". I am a part of a very exclusive society of bug munchers and insect eaters, arachnid swallowers and beastie crunchers. And I am proud. I have been looking for like minded individuals to share my love for shoving bugs down my gaping gullet and finding inner peace with it. List of bugs I eat: Ants Spiders Rolly-Pollies Dragonflies Crickets Grasshoppers Praying Mantises Scorpions Cockroaches Beetles Stink Bugs and many, many more. Now, I will recite a haiku I wrote in 2007, the year I graduated high school, about eating bugs I love eating bugs But what if bug eats me now I shall eat bug first Thank you:) Samuel Willis Arslanian When I was around 9 years old, I was sitting in my grandparents yard. They lived on a lake, no fences in between yards, and I stumbled upon an ant hill, and I saw dozens of little ants going in and out of the hole, bringing food to the queen. The primal urges took over, I began grabbing handfulls of dust and ants and cramming them into my gaping maw, struggling to chew the mass in my mouth. Ultimately I had to go to the ER, but I have been hooked ever since. All hail Time Cube. Kaveh Hajarizadeh I love eating bugs. I came out of the womb eating bugs. One day I forgot to eat the bug. So the bug ate me. I am in a bug's stomach right now. I love it in here. Dababy I went out to Death Valley, And then my friend turned into a scorpion, Because he was bitten by a radioactive cow, Restroom and then big bird came and since he was radioactive he turned my friend into a centipede. Then I ran Out of food and had to eat my friend the scorpion and you know what it was the best meal I had ever had. Liam Not a story, but a question. Are Mexican bean beetles edible? I have enjoyed cabbage worms, June bugs, cicadas, grasshoppers, katydids, and corn silk worms. My favorite was a tomato horn worm. I usually throw them on a very hot lightly oiled skillet with a few drops of water and cover with a lid for just seconds. A little Old Bay helps some folks get past the "gross factor." Steve Bailes bugs give me the heebie jeebies yuk jamie I live and teach in Oakland. This Friday we are going to have the school's first Multicultural "Fear Factor" Contest. On the menu are going to be roasted crickets, stir fried bamboo caterpillars, apple snail salad, and curried silkworm pupae, as well as other foods from around the world. A few years ago, I stumbled across frozen giant water bugs. The store I encountered the bugs no longer carried them. Does anyone in the San Francisco bay are know of a store that carried frozen giant water bugs. I believe they are called Mengdah. Any help would be appreciated. Frederick Frederick Hi-I raise mealworms for bird, herp, fish, parrot, arachnid food and fishing bait. Got a kick out of your site. Although I have never EATEN one I sell quite a few to people of Asian descent who do, even using the dehydrated ones or the roasted ones I sell as an additive to breads and gravys. (apparently a high protein source for their culture). -Regards-Steve Steven Vogel On the 25th of may I started eating bugs properly. I now love them so much I eat them for breakfast as energy produce. I have even eaten a live scorpion. My friend Lopes Shrastnopolie is going to challenge me to a bug eating contest soon. I can send you pictures of the event in a couple of days if you wish. From TIM! Tim Percivial in my childhood the elders says if we eat aunts our visibility increase. so we childrens try to eat aunts in our food. mr aw Trying bugs the first time is shocking at first, but they are quite nutritious. I tried fried crickets (small and jumbo) when I went to Cambodia. They are actually quite good. Tastes like a combination of beef jerky and potato chips, and quite addicting. Mr. A I ate a june bug makayla My friend and I were waking up one morning and decided to eat corn pops...well, our boxes of cereal were infested with ants!!! We got rid of the first box...thinking only one had ants...Na!!! all of them...we were so broke at that time...only had 10 bucks to my name...so we decided to eat our cereal with the extra ingredients...No odd taste I might say...felt quite full all morning too. Heck, now I don't get bothered by certain insects in our bowl in the morning. by by Raul I want to try bugs april mangum When I was like 7 years old I found a couple hundred ants under a rock. I took a handful... and ate 'em! Zach Its nice to see there are some people like me in the bay area. I grew up eating a lot of bugs in the northeatern part of India. I love Red ant eggs Silk worm pupa cricket hornet eggs BH Hello, I run the public library in our small town and our summer reading program is "Catch the Reading Bug". We have a weekly program where we explore insects through books and activities throughout June and July. One program is entitled, "It's a bug lunch @ your library" where we will explore bugs as food. The children will have the opportunity to overcome their squeamishness about eatingbugs by participating in a bug tasting event. Fried larvettes are on the menue as well as chocolate covered insects. If anyone has a template for a "I ate a bug" certificate, I would appreciate a copy. Thanks, Tracy Tracy Nilsen One day i woke up and there was a spider lying on my wall why i was alseep. I said "hey! a snack" i made sure it was not poisonous and then i gobbled it up. Timmathy I've heard of so many stories of people eating unusual things(non-traditional) and have to admit I was a sceptic. One day I decided, what the heck and picked up a live ant, took one big crunch ,and to my suprise was actually amazed by the taste. I swear it tasted just like some kind of berry. Now, it wasn't a small ant because that was the first ant I ate and it didn't have a taste at all, only the larger ants can you really taste. Doubt me if you like, but you'll never know unless you try one. Shawn Newton we live in the desert near palm springs it would be great to have a chapter of BABES out here i was raised in a restaurant family now, i am semi retired and find the BUG Dining experience the next best venue / vegetarian, fast food, asian, or just plain "kitchie" sam Insects Eaten alongside Five-Star Restaurants Providence, RI (Sep 10, 2007) – On Thursday, October 25, 2007, at the Botanical Center of Roger Williams Park (6:30P.M.-10:00 P.M.) attendees of one of the longest running Rhode Island food sampling events, Food For Thought, will be presented with the opportunity to try something different—gourmet edible insects. Chef Branden Lewis of The Genesis Center (a Providence, RI, non-profit, which receives the proceeds from Food For Thought) has partnered with Sunrise Land Shrimp owner, David Gracer to prepare gourmet edible insects among over 25 of Providence’s finest restaurants. Sunrise Land Shrimp’s sampling table will be located in front of the Botanical Center’s carnivorous plant exhibit. "Instead of people saying, 'that’s not too bad,' we want people to exclaim, 'that's really good!" says Chef Lewis. Gracer states that insects are the most widely eaten creatures on earth. He hopes that people’s sense of adventure will motivate them to belly-up to the table and try some of his nutritious delicacies. Other restaurants in Food For Thought include: Blaze, CAV, Efendi's Mediterranean Grill & Bar, El Rancho Grande, Farmstead Cheeses, Gracie's, Julian's, La Prima Caffe, Mediterraneo, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, and Waterplace. *** Photos of Insect Dishes and Recipes Available Upon Request *** About Food For Thought Food For Thought began in 1996- a celebration of The Genesis Center’s culinary arts job training program. Over the past ten years, Food For Thought has become a popular Rhode Island event for food-lovers looking to explore new restaurants, talk to their favorite chefs, or to simply enjoy culinary delights by some of Providence’s finest restaurants. Mike Ritz I heard that raw vegans who don't thoroughly wash their leaves don't have B-12 deficiencies. I'm a raw vegan, (or am I?) and today I spotted a lonely little bug and popped it in my mouth without tasting it. I feel like I've taken the first step! Mickey Maynard I'm currently a full time student and soon-to-be college baseball player. I was recently discharged honorably after serving four years in the active duty AF and I now serve one weekend a month in the Air National Guard. I'm interested in finding info about raising mealworm so I can have an alternative and cheap supply of protein. You know us athletes and our protein! Jake ok...i have been eating bugs not for very long...maby for 3 years. all my friends think im crazy and just some would say that they would only eat em if they were stranded on a deserted island. anyways so the first time i picked up a insect(bug) i was at the pool and i saw this HUGE elephant beetle who was like dying. i was like "hm i wonder if this will tasted good." and to my surprise it did. i was half way done with it when my sister came over and asked me what i was eating and i showed her. she flipped and said "ew your sooooo weird!" and slapped the bug outta my hand and the thing flew out. since then ive been eating wild bugs. nothing likes cooked or grown in farms or nothing. my favorite are beetles there so CRUNCHY and worms cuz i like to play with them in my mouth. =D! fun. Rae Well, I have to hurry because I'm almost late for my bug eating conference in downtown San Francisco! I am the best bug eater in my family, although all of us have a hankering for those delectable insects! They are nutritous too.. I don't understand why more people dont enjoy a pound of bugs everyday like I do. Its good to eat some right after you wake up or brush your teeth... such a nice taste in your mouth! Joeina Herzoog I was at Petland, and I had just got my allowance. I bought some bacon flavored popcorn and some breath mints for my dog. I went to pay when I saw a box on the counter. It almost seemed to glow as I heard a slight chorus in the background. I bought two little chocolate covered crickets… one for me and one for my friends. I would have bought more, but I only had four dollars, enough for two. Just as my mom handed the lady the money she said I bet you five dollars you won’t even eat one, and there in the store right in front of the cashier, without even thinking I tore it open, unwrapped the little thing of chocolate, and tried to chew it quickly. My mom had a horrified look on her face as the cashier just laughed. My mom said that it still had the eyes and the brain and the guts… isn’t that gross, and I said no it’s good money, and I plopped two more packs on the table and said you’re payin’. Taylor - Age 13 Ate a live grub that came out of a nut in the jungle while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the country of Suriname. Have an 18 month son that I would like to raise on a bug diet, the way society is headed it may be what he needs to survive. I question that CPS would take him away if they caught wind of this plan. Patrick At the UT Arlington School of Nursing, students taking the Cultural Immersion elective in Mexico are given an opportunity to participate in the Entomaphagic Experience while there. Each student who "survives" gets a certificate with pictures of the bugs and recipes! Sue March Hi, I work at the Butterfly Pavilion & Insect Center in Westminster, Colorado. As far as I know, we are the only free-standing insect zoo in the country. We have an outreach program that goes into schools to teach children about bug eating, as well as about the importance of invertebrates and conservation. Check us out online at www.butterflies.org. We are planning an event in September called the Fall Harvest Cookoff where we would like to showcase native plant and bug recipes as well as have restaurants and chefs show off their skills and have tastings for guests. Please let me know if BABES would like to get involved or if you know of any other bug societies to invite. I can be reached at 720-974-1866 or by email at kurish@butterflies.org. Thanks! Kimberly Kimberly Urish My first bug eating experience happened as a result of a friend's prank! One night we were trying new things to eat (and drinking beer) and she decided to hide a couple of crickets in some stir fry. She took the legs and wings off and chopped them a bit. Well, long story short, I ate them and fell in love with that nutty flavor in with the rice and veggies. To this day, I like them very much but don't much get an opportunity to eat them. I am considered a food "weirdo". I love anchovies on my pizza, but nobody else I know does. I like all kinds of sardines and crunchy Mexican fish snacks, but I don't have any friends or family who will join me. Oh well. All I can say is rare birds fly alone! I guess make that "bugs". ;-) Bug Appetite! Laura Me and my fellow babes were hanging out in golden gate park and we were getting hungry so we decided to a little bug meal. my friend went to her car and pulled out the portable bbq and we started digging. We found some nice juicy worms grilled them up and had a delicious snack! YUM! go babes! Ninosh Mostein One day in November, there I was, sitting beneath a willow tree quietly thinking about my life, the jouney's I have traveled through. It was November, which is chracteristically the Wombaticaulas hatching time. this fascinating creature leaves it's wondorrous purple blue cocoon in November, and i was sittimg beneath the willow tree in November. Sudddenly, I felt a plip plop on my head. "What's this?What in the name of all that is holy?Is this?" I thought of my mother, my life plashed before my eyes and I became still as I remembered I had lied about brushing my teeth as a child. would our savior send me to hell? But then I had an epiphany, she I reached up and felt for the gooey mass that had twisted itself into my joyous locks, brown with streaks of nug wing like gray., I felt the gooey tentaculars of the bug creature in my hand and looked down. It was the poison of the creature!!! I was doomed to die, in three hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew I had to party it up, so I fulfilled my lust to eat every bug I saw. Crickets: crunchy and delectable, and a bit like choclate and mud, oh so gooey. who needs chocolate, when you can have bugs! BUGS BUGS!!!! MUAhahahahahaaa now all I eat is bugs! Martha Bronmski Here's one, I was in Taiwan doing work for the airlines and had some collegues take me to the beer gardens and they had quite the menu of insects. Little did I know they pulled this stunt with many of the contractors to test their nerves and to experiment to see who would actually eat what they ordered. I had a few beers and soon appetizers came out. To my suprise there were honey bees on a platter with a carmelized sauce that at first was intemidating but gave in to my inhibitions and believe it or not was quite tasty. Roger i was riding my bike when i saw a juicy tarantula. i picked it up a put it in my mouth. it was very plump and good. i saw another and ate it and it was delicous. my cousin said peace out... A town down kimmy I ate a snail when i cooked some by my self cause no one would eat that stuff it was ok but not the best i had. i had better on the cruise Dominique Well...my first night with bugs(meal worms)..i took them for a snack in the movie. Of course i recived the pleasure of grossing out my friends and they all confirmed that i need to be living in the forest...to my delight of course :)...later that night my friend took one and went up to these poor innocent ladies and bit into a nice juicy meal worm right in front of them..which..i must admit was hilarious...well this was my first bug experience :)! Eric A recent trip to Tijuana took me to an upscale restaurant call Cien Anos. There they served two kinds of worms in bowls as an appetizer. The first larger about 1 " in length was the Agave worm or Caterpillar (Cossus redtembachi). The second was a tiny worm species unknown. Both are spooned onto a Corn Tortilla with a little hot sauce and rolled up and eaten. Highly Recommended Rocky Costello My wife and I have been eating bugs for a long time. I remember as a child growing up in San Jose where they used to sell chocolate covered grasshoppers and baby bees in an Italian deli in Willow Glen and loving that distinctive crunch. Then each of use lived in South east Asia and could not get enough of various bugs fried with chili or in curries. We now have a daughter who is in high school, but have been reluctant to share with her our secret delight. She doesn't yet know that we have been putting different insects in her meals, as a protein supplement, for years. Those milkshakes? She thought they were chocolate, but actually much more. Those pancakes? Hah, if she only knew. How to break the news? Rodney & Tilly Gatti I am 58 years old. I have been eating bugs since I was 8 years old. I have lived in 3 foreign countries eating bugs and insects in international restaurants. Michael Welch I was chowing down some Indian take-out a few years ago in Cambridge, MA, when I bit into a "pumpkin seed." "Funny," thought I, "I didn't know Indian cuisine used pumpkin seeds." The spitting reflex kicked in, and suddenly there in my hand was a half-chewed, and very large, cockroach! I took the food back to the Indian restaurant to complain, and they promised me a free dinner, but I declined. Darryl Caterine When I was a young pup, around 35, I had the queerest idear ever. I was a French food fanatic then and I even had escargot for breakfast. I must admit, it was a tad bit of an obsession I had aquired in my youth.. let's not go in to the specifics of my younger sister Pamela running off with her french man, Frances, anyways, I was looking for an alternate path. At the ripe age of 35, I was still living with the love of my life, who I fear to say has departed us. My mother. Anyways, she was dusting about when she dropped her gold handeled feather duster and screamed a piercing scream- one that would haunt me for the rest of my short life. I grabbed that bugger of a bug and squeezed him into meee palm. i then had an ephiany. What if this tasted similar to a snail? So, I raised the bug above my head and proclaimed, "I shall devour!" And plunged the bug into my awaiting trap of shiny white ones. It was an experience! An ephiany, I say! The taste.. hard to describe. Nutty at first, of course. But then the after taste, I must say that drew me to where I am now, a lonely 45 year old who, instead of the Atkins, chose a bug only diet in order to further pursue the delights of insect manifestations that are currently growing in my esophagus. I have decided that I will be the devoutest member to your ye olde lovely society. I love this place, this San Mateo. So many parks awaiting to be dug up to find splendiously juicy treasures- compact nutrition- tantalized the taste buds. Who ever claimed that bugs taste like chicken were far far wrong.... the taste is the meaning of life to me and my "friends".So I thank you for making me possible to submit my feelings for bugs on the internet. Now everyone will realize my passion for bugs. I, Bugsy (as I have changed it), am eternally greatful. Thanks a bugillion! bugsy Halloway-Grey One night at dinner my mom was cooking and i was eating bugs Roy E Jacobs Hi, my name is gowri shanker i am a final yr hm&cs student in india as i am a catering student i eat a lot of food to taste it like that last year i went to chengalpattu in tamilnadu since my uncle is a entomologist i went with him to assist in catching insects after catching insects we went to a village there by the time we were going there was a community barbacue over there so i got intrested but when i learnt the menu of the barby i was thrilled instead of finding steak, mutton or game i found rats & grasshoppers on the menu where they made a spicy rat roast & grasshopper fries first i was reluctant but later i thought it wouldnt be good if i didn't take part in it so i took a bite for tasting it but i found the both tasting good so i ate heartily & gathered the recepie & went home ,now i am doing a project on it, if anybody has more info about it plz mail me at gs_shanker@yahoo.co.in gowrishanker Hi folks, I wanted to share with you a Native American recipe I found Recipe Link Moth Tea: Ingredients: About 10 dull color NO PATTERN moths (I have found that all dull colored moths are edible, while some with patterns can be slightly poisonous... but if you find otherwise, tell me!) 2 cups water Salt to taste (optional) Preparation: Pull wings and legs off the moths, don't tear the body! Boil 2 cups of water however you can, I like spinning one up, and boiling the water in live oakbark. Throw moths in boiling water for 2min. Add salt if need be. Note: This is high in protien and DARN good tasting. As far as I am concerned, I could drink 1 double the bugs cup as a meal! Servings: one Christopher P. Here is the chronicle of my bug-eating adventure- Daniel's Adventure Daniel J. Geduld one day i was EXTREAMLY hungry and i had nothing so i went to the backyard and found a milk weed bug i ate it and it was quite yummy tess I used to hate the way bugs would look.now I can't get enough! kara helman Do you include snails in your bug list, as well as insects?--I mean,in an area with lots of gardens there's no need to spend tons of money to eat snails in a fancy restaurant. It always amazes me that people don't harvest them for food from their own gardens. Any information available on how to prepare snails for consumption? I read somewhere that they had to first be fed on cornmeal to clean them out. Is that true? Are bug eaters in the Bay Area giving any attentions to snails as a food source? As a middle-aged person involved in two highly unlucrative professions--teaching ESL, and writing--and with the threat of a future looming where old people, more than ever, will be discarded,with social security possibly going down the tubes, with health care becoming more and more incaccessible and landlords increasingly gouging, and appreciating the possibilites inherent in small--very small--scale food production, I am turning with interest to the idea of bug consumption as an affordable and self-reliant way of meeting protein needs. When I was in Mexico grasshoppers were a source of protein even the poorest could afford, and they could be picked up in the fields everywhere. In Korea even the extremely poor could afford to buy silkworms on the street. I'd appreciate learning more from experienced bug-eaters, and perhaps I can eventually contribute something of my own experiences to the mix. Erica Fox Santanderean culona ants are an exotic dish you only find in this part of the world. The tradition of its consuption is from more 500 years ago. It is occuring since Guane Indian's time, primitive people from Santander, state of Colombia. The Guane called them "COPRICO" that it want to mean nuptial or marriage food, by the reason of its afrodisiac and longevity powers, since this time people comment it. Actually, it is known like "CULONA ANTS" for its big abdomen. It can size 10 mm x 7 mm. Aproximately. They are cropped one time for year in holy week until Thursday of Ascension, religious feast in June. The ants are collected by the country people of the region and they are processed like food for consumption, similar as Guane Indians, they toast it in flagstones or mud pots. So the culona ants are conserved more than a year in a glass recipient. The Guanes kept them for a long time. Wilson Rincon INSECT : A NUTRITIONAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY A CASE STUDY IN NORTHEAST OF THAILAND The northeasterners of Thailand consume insects as their native food. These insects are found in nature and the environment. The purpose of this research is to investigate the form of insect consumption, from hunting to cooking. The findings of the study are as follow: 1) In the course of a year, 44 kinds of insects are consumed. 2) Insects can be consumed by using 15 methods of cooking , from well-cooked to non-cooked. 3) The ways of cooking and consuming are learned from generation to generation. 4) Apart from being food, insects can be used as drugs, cosmetics, materials for fortune-telling, and for entertainment. Products from insects can provide supplementary income to the villagers. 5) The northeasterners have consumed insects for a long time. So , they are able to protect themselves from dangers while hunting and consuming insects. 6) Factors causing insect consumption are traditional belief, environmental condition, economical situation and satisfaction with taste. 7) Factors that prevent insect consumption are fear, disgust, harm and side- effect symptoms after consumption. Kanvee Viwatpanich I was last week in Bangkok and wanted to try some insects which are sold there, but the salesmen at the booths did annoy me by touching me and trying to get my attention, so I didn't want to buy anything at the booths anymore. The last evening there, I was with two collegues at a restaurant/bar and ,as always, I did not drink any alcohol. This seems to be a problem for some people. So after a while they let me choose to drink some beer or to eat insects. The answer was easy: insects. So one collegue went buying me some insects, i.e. I got insects worth B 20 delivered to my table for free! I got a scorpion, a grasshopper, a big beetle and some worms. I didn't like the scorpion (maybe it was fried to long), but the others were good (Although the chitin was a bit hard-bitten). And the one who was digusted was not me, as they probably hoped, but them. I discarded only the legs and other extremities, because they were rather hard, and ate the rest of the insects. Was that correct? Mahlzeit ed --- Your insect eating etiquette is exquisite endergone Zwiebeltuete It was years ago, during high school. A friend from my so called social group, who I did not like at all was sitting there with his usual grin. We were playing some mindless beer drinking game. Attempts to tease and banter with him proved fruitless. I looked up and noticed a collection of dead bugs gathered in a lightbulb. Becoming drunk on beer I said "if you will all give me a dollar I will eat a bug". They thought my latest statement was as goofy as all the statements before. But they said they would, the liars, and I crunched down a June Bug. The squeamish wimps couldn't believe their eyes. I pointed out that the cheap beer they were drinking was hardly more than deer pee, probably full of disintegrated roaches. They thought that was pretty silly too. One little June Bug can't hurt. Hey Scott My family of seven has been eating bugs since 1996. We micro-farm mealworms, crickets, and madagascar hissing cockroaches. Recently, one of our daughters asked me to sautee the adult roaches for her 7th birthday dinner (needless to say, it was a family only event). Not to be outdone, another of our daughters has requested the next harvest of roaches - they should reach adulthood by her 5th birthday in April. I have published an article on entomophagy, and have had several other interviews published in national newspapers. If you would like, you may link them, and the recipes I've posted, to your site. I would also like to link to your site. My website is www.siriusmindbody.com/generic.html?pid=0 Thanks! Amy Cousin and family Amy Cousin It's been about four years ago since I ate my first worm. Now as I work in my garden and toil my soil, I have a hard time resisting eating worms. I quickly pop them in my mouth so I won't be seen by family or neighbors who may be watching. I really enjoy chewing them while I garden, then eventually, I swallow them. I have read stories about people who have eaten worms and have liked them. I read a story about a girl who began to eat worms as a way to get herself psyched before her track meet. As a result, she is now a regular worm eater. Winter is fast approaching, but I can still find worms in the soil. I will miss them over the winter months. Are there more people who enjoy eating worms? Anonymous I ate two caterpillars. One left me with no apparent reaction. However, the other caterpillar sort of made me feel sickish for some short time. Before you eat "pillars", make sure they are not subsisting on poisonous vegetation!!! KEVIN SELBY Hey everyone, I am a Syracuse University student and have a project that requires us to create our own restaurants. My group and I have chosen to create a restaurant based around entomophagy. If anyone has any information or any suggestions about doing this, please write to my e mail address, ledough@syr.edu. Thanks! Lindsay When I was a kid, we ended up very poor by the time I was in my teens, due to my father's failing in business. What we had, had to be used. So, one day it was my turn to make dinner, fried chicken which was a great treat. I was rolling the chicken pieces in flour, and well, munching on the bits of flour that fell off into the bowl. "Mmmm, I thought, sunflower seeds!" Apparently someone had put really good, rich-tasting sunflower seeds in the flower, I thought idly as I munched away. Then I thought, "Hold, it there hasn't been a sunflower seed in this house for months" and looked in the flour. There were grain-of-rice sized weevils in there, just kind of walking around and wondering what all the to-do was about. I thought, for a whole millisecond or two, about throwing out the flour and the chicken that had been dipped in it, and then decided the preservation of my life, or at least a meal, was a much higher priority, and besides, these tasted good! If I thought they were so good raw, they'd only add to the taste of the chicken when fried, if they were even noticed at all. I'll admit I tossed out the flour that was left over afterwards, but I highly recommend flour weevils, in fact according to the latest "paleo" dietary theories, keep the weevils and don't eat the flour! Alex When I went to my uncles house for a dinner party.His main dish was bugs.There were all kinds like chocolate covered ants and candied crickets. I first said no way I'm not eating that but I got so hungry, and there was no more normal food left. So I tried one and liked it. I was so embarrassed because by the time party was over I had eaten over 10 plates of bugs Alisha Valdez When I was small, I lived in China. There, I remember I used to eat after frying them, crickets. I loved catching, frying, and eating crickets. They were so delicious I couldn't stop. Henry Z I have eaten live flies and they don't taste half bad. I would recommend the fly and also crane mosquitos to eat as a safe and nutritional food source. ed -- Planet Scott does NOT recommend flies or mosquitos. Shaniqua at one time I ate an insect and I was almost throwing up because I did not like it. But there was this time that my cousin gave me a taco and it had a bug in it and I ate it but I did not felt it. The only way that i knew it was because he told me and at that moment I was very mad at him. I did not even speak to him for about 2 days but then forgave him. Well I just wanted to tell you my experience viridiana torres I once ate a insect that was inside of a Tequila bottle it was way to nasty that i immediately went to the toilet to floosh my self i was seek for a whole week do you still eat that nasty things. Did you turn seek like me? Ed... I think it was the Tequila that made you sick. teresa salgado I was very hungry one day and there was zero food in the house, except for... a box of raisin bran infested with ants. What the hey, thought I. I poured some in a bowl and added milk. I thought, "if I don't look at it while I eat it, I won't even notice them." This was partially true. Every now and then I caught the bitter taste of formic acid, and I looked down once and saw them swimming around in the milk. I concluded my ant bran meal, none the worse. Ash I like bugs. They are good to eat. I especially like the slimey feel tracing its way down my throat. I discovered this excitement in Thailand, starting with fried chicken legs, iguanas, and going on from there. One night in a restaurant on a small island called Ko Phan nang an infestation of knats flew into everything. This lead the Gecko's out of their hiding places. Suddenly we were surrounded by 30 gecko's and millions of knats. Our food was infested also. We were hungry and this was not the type of restaurant that would give you a refund, so we just ate our food knats and all. This signifies the beginning of my bug eating days. Emily Green I am a hedgehog breeder and so I often keep a container of mealworms around for my animals. To a hedgehog, eating a mealworm is like the top thing you can do. They absolutely LOVE them. My hedgehogs aren't usually wrong about things, so naturally, I wanted to try some too. The only thing was that I had no idea people could eat mealworms, and I thought that my secret desire made me a freak. But then came Joyce. We met at a party, and I found out that she worked in a museum that had a bug eating program. She invited me to this gathering on campus 2 weeks later, where she was the host of a mealworm cookout. About 60 people (including me) became worm eaters that night. (Mealworms taste like popcorn when they are sauteed.) Some people might think that we are some kind of cult or weird extremist group. But it was actually a Christian Fellowship meeting. I don't know why bug eating is associated with cults or satanists. Lets not forget that John the Baptist was a bug eater too. Michelle I am a high school Biology teacher in California that loves to feed my classes live cricket's at the turn of the semester for extra credit. Needless to say, 95% of the kids munch on these little critters... Mr. G At age 9, I ate about 10 cicadas. From there, I have eaten ants, moths, crickets, earthworms, grubs, aphids, praying mantis, grasshoppers, inchworms, apple worms, larvea, and termites. If any of you are as daring as me to eat milkweed bugs, rolly pollies, and lady bugs, DO NOT EAT THEM. I have been studying about entomophagy for twelve years. Peter Staley I've enjoyed raw mealworms, termites, beetle grubs, katydids, grasshoppers, and cicadas, of course all raw. Alive. You know the Smithsonians' insect zoo has a big deal bug covered-dish thingy at least once a year if you want variety on the menu. --Eric Anderson Praying Mantis are best eaten when first killed contrary to popular belief that aged or "petrified" carcasses have higher levels of vitamins, acids and chlorophyll. When preparing the Praying Mantis Pavlova I suggest using large females, but remove the razor sharp arms. The eyes may be used in place of passionfruit seeds which are not only delicious but may serve as an aesthetically pleasing topping.--Phyllis, Australia I teach middle school special education in a small Iowa school district. We care for 2,000 crickets,1,000 mealworms(to feed our many reptiles) and 6 hissing cockroaches in our classroom.We recently ordered insect suckers,choc covered insects and spiced larvae.We would love to make some cricket choc chip cookies but I'm afraid my principal will think we are nuts! Any suggestions?! Perhaps some of you could convince him.--Deb I am a 5th grade teacher and we even eat bugs in the classroom (with permission slips of course). The kids have such a great time, and for some this is the most risky thing they have ever done!! We keep a bug Hall of Fame photo album for the ones who do eat the bugs.Bill One day while out in the yard i saw a big fat juicy worm. The next thing i did was pick it up and swallow it like a spaghetti noodle.Chad i once a ate a spider because my sister put it im my mouth when i was asleep and then she told me the next morning and she video recorded it so i then knew she wasn't lying and i watched the film and it crawled into my mouth and then down my throat and i swallowed it and i was still asleep!Hayley, UK I have to unscramble the letters to make a insects name 1 tamidn 2 nocisrop ylf 3 awret moht I work at Wal-mart. I just recently had 4 wisdom teeth pulled and I haven't been the same since. I went to the dentist, and they gave me something that knocked me out. I don't remember a thing afterwards... Just waking up at home and my mom there by my side to give me my medicine. But I have changed. Something had to have happened while I was drugged. I was weak the day after the surgery, but went to work the next day. But, I have all this energy. All I ate for 4 days was pudding and milk shakes. I finally had a full meal today after 9 days! I had BBQed sausage, tons of chicken flavored rice, and a salad. But ever since I woke up that day after the surgery, I been acting weird. I have this boost of physical energy, mental awareness, and I just see things differently. The day 2 days after surgery, I ran 2 miles. And I haven't ran in a long while. I started exercising, and doing sit-ups and push-ups, and everything else. I have more smarts. I have goals. I talk a lot at work, and I'm just more aware of everything. And finally I have a craving for bugs! It all started while I was on the milkshakes for breakfast deal. Every morning after I'm done running I would make a shake. 1 cup of milk, cinnammon, 1 spoonful of ovalteen, and 1 bananna. But then I just started thinking about putting 1 cricket in one. Aren't they full of protein anyways, and healthy to eat? But now I just can't stop thinking about other dishes, and eating bugs in general. I think something weird happened when I was in surgery, like I went out of my body, or tho heaven, or something went on. It's just so weird. Thanks a bunch for reading my story, and I'm going to check out this web-site. Are there other cases of this happening? Is it just me or what? Please try and help. By then though, I think I might already be putting a cricket into my shake. ---Ernie Sweet The only bug i ever ate (almost)was a large blue bottle that had been deep fried and was laying in the bottom of my bag of chips. It was at night i was just getting to the larst few chips when i pulled the narsty bug out on the end of the chip.At first i just thought it was a bit of burn on the chip, i put the chip in my mouth and felt somthing strange YUCK! SPIT! HURL!!!!! WHAT A WASTE OF GOOD CHIPS! --MCK..... ed... the Bay Area Bug Eating Society does not recommend the eating of house flies. I am 13 and i am discouraged by everyone to eat bugs but they're so nice it's irresistable. My favourite food is woodlice. I've been brought up on them, and I'm only 17! --Tim, UK i like to eat ants after i burn them with my magnifying glass on a nice sunny day. i have been doing this since i was 5. after i burn them and they are crsipy, i sprinkle them with powdered sugar. i then put them on a flaky ritz cracker.--missy, bugtustle,florida Scott, Mom showed me the picture, MMMMMMMMM I remember when you had turtles and frogs you tried to make me eat a meal worm. I can`t remember if I did because I was sleeping.--Jason I was sooo entertained by your BABES BBBQ picnic in the park. What a fun page! Yuk to bugs, though, I don't eat them. However, I live in Texas where we have *huge* cockroaches, which might make a good substitut for a hot dog. Cheers!--Tracey Hello, Everyone. Well, what can i say? Your one of the most liberal cities in the USA and, i am in one of the most conservative cities in the nation. We don't have many "bug eaters" here. The city zoo had a edible insect lunch for the kids here in San Antonio. Afraid i had to miss it. One of our local fundamentalist ministers found out about the event and, now he wants heads to roll, his claim is that "bug eating" turns childern in "satanist" well, guess i am on the road to hell and, my soul is damned. Wish i were living in "Sodom and Gomorrah" with the rest of you. Peace and bright blessings--Bjorn As a 10 year old kid, I used to have this small and stupid orange toy gun. One day I played that I was commiting suicide and I put the gun in my mouth. A spider came out of the gun ran in to my mouth. Never played that game again. In life you can never eat enough bugs, you just have to find someone to dine with. I'm a Student, second year in college. I'm a boxer, and i love to try new kinds of food. And eating different kinds of insects!--James Well im not a fan of eating bugs, but just because i recently lost my job for shooting staples at a fellow co-worker i am desperete for cash, and will do numerous things to get some. So anyways i today (friday,june,1,2000) i was at a freinds place just chilling with two other guys. We were watching Basketball when this big ass mofo thing buzzed my friends head, my freind got up and started running like around like an idiot. The rest of us just sat there laughing, he came back and had a glass and carefully trapped it (it was motionless on the floor). Then the fun began, we started daring my friends kid brother (15yrs old) to eat it for $20, $50 up to $100 (cdn) he wouldn't do it, they then asked me how much i would do it for... $100?...i look at the (it was a beatle of some sort about the size of a peanut! and it was furry underneath!!1) NOWAY MAN!...maybe if you guys buy me that amp? ( i was shopping for an amplifier that day for my car that cost $250, and they all figured if they chipped in $80 and his brother only $20 they'll give me $260. So thought about it for almost an hour while we watched the movie, half way through the movie I pick up the glass, looked at it, payed alot of attention to its very strong looking black crunchy exoskeleton, and yellow furry belly. i trusted my freinds so i just suddenly closed my eyes imagined how amazing my car would sound and all the chicks...and tilted the glass back and let it slide between my teeth and quickly munched away i was so close to puking in my freinds face when the strange sticky mucus tasting guts filled my mouth as well as the hard shell bits that remained in fairly large pieces as i swallowed the sucker down. Little bits of the shell were still in my mouth but they didn't let me wash it down with anything for 5 minutes. I felt like i was going to die, perhaps it was poisonous or was still alive somehow. well soon after they stopped laughing and the polaroids of my face while swallowing! it developed we made a trip to the bank and they withdrew and handed it over saying they wish they ate it saying obsene things about me! And tommorow i'm making a trip to the car audio shop with my hard earned 260 dollars!!! and buying the amp i told the guy who works there i would buy in a few weeks! I would do it again anyday to those that don't believe someone would pay $80 to watch your freind eat a beatle but its Canadain funds-basil mroz I eat a bowl of bug for dinner everyday and I lose 53 in two months.-Strla Shine little glow-worm, glimmer, glimmer Shine little glow-worm, glimmer, glimmer Lead us lest too far we wander Love's sweet voice is calling yonder Shine little glow-worm, glimmer, glimmer Hey, there don't get dimmer, dimmer Light the path below, above And lead us on to love! Glow little glow-worm, fly of fire Glow like an incandescent wire Glow for the female of the species Turn on the AC and the DC This night could use a little brightnin' Light up you little ol' bug of lightnin' When you gotta glow, you gotta glow Glow little glow-worm, glow Glow little glow-worm, glow and glimmer Swim through the sea of night, little swimmer Thou aeronautical boll weevil Illuminate yon woods primeval See how the shadows deep and darken You and your chick should get to sparkin' I got a gal that I love so Glow little glow-worm, glow Glow little glow-worm, turn the key on You are equipped with taillight neon You got a cute vest-pocket *Mazda* Which you can make both slow and *fazda* I don't know who you took a shine to Or who you're out to make a sign to I got a gal that I love so Glow little glow-worm, glow Glow little glow-worm, glow Glow little glow-worm, glow Glow little glow-worm, glow !!-Cathy I once ate some ants when I was a little boy, and they tasted funny, I then noticed I had gobbled down a pile of hot red fire ants. They didn't look red to me. I had to go to the doctor's office, and they put chemicals to rub off the pain.-Nick I have recently become a mature student at the University of Kent at Canterbury. I left school at 12 and joined the navy, now, years later and after a hostile divorce, it's time to get educated. The only problem is I have 2 children, Andrew (2) and James (3). Money installments are few and far between. I have tried male escort services to make it to the next month,which payed well, but the campsite owner can't look after the boys any longer. Well the point of this story is to make everyone aware that eating bugs is not only fun on occasions, but is a highly practical option for a cheap and varied diet. When James and Andrew were smaller they used to eat bugs they found in the park, so it seemed OK. We never get bored as we never know what we're going to find!! Identifying the bugs is not always easy; we use the SAS survival guide which is normally right. The black and white pictures are hard to identify. It is for this reason that I write as could someone advise a good guide?? We have made some mistakes in the past and James had to miss nursery for a week with dihorrhea, although it may have been teething problems. Please, if you have any genuine suggestions in relation to guides, mail me at jmas2@ukc.ac.uk thanks.- John. i eat bugs from the ground or the bugs that fly around there so juicy and delicious i keep it a secret cause people will think i'm sick but it is just my style-Strla My 6th grade class ate chocolate covered crickets after a unit on insects. It was a wild and crazy experience. We even got our picture in the local paper. Hullo there. An interesting site I should say. Here's some info that you could put on the site. I live in Chennai (earlier called Madras) in the south of India. My name is Ejji K. Umamahesh. I am an "omnitarian"! I eat anything that will not eat me before I eat it! I travel a lot around the world, and my first fancy is to try out anything edible. From the streets of Rangoon to "The Carnivore" in Joberg, S.Africa, I have eaten all that is available to eat. But I must confess that the Mopane worm that I ate in Botswana was the most exotic and delicious I have had. In India, at least here at Madras, I get termites during season that is widely eaten in the villages. The termites are smoked out of the mounds, and caught in jute sacks. The sacks are beaten to dislodge the wings. The insects alone are removed by winnowing it in wind. The termite is then fried and stored to be eaten. It stays well without refrigeration for more than a month. Please put me on your mailing list and let me have more details on places where I can get bugs to eat. I'll keep you posted on interesting info from here. With warm regards,Ejji K. Umamahesh63 MG Ramachandran RoadKalakshetra ColonyBesant NagarMadras 600090INDIA Phone & facsimile: 91-44-4901510 and 91-44-4901511 E mail: ejji@vsnl.com ejji@giasmd01.vsnl.net.in I have been eating bugs all my life since i was three years old. my mom used to put them in my peanut butter and jelly sandwich . I loved bugs my favorite kind are maggots and wheat bread. since i've grown i've learned how to eat scorpions and toranchallas. They are sooo good drenched in olive oil and butter! ahh i'm going to make them right now!-Cheri Bugs are yummy. I eat them all day and all night. My favorite are crunchy,tender,but yet sweet grasshoppers that I affectionately call "thoraxes".My family has shunned me...but because I love bugs SOOOO much I continue to eat them. -Richard I like bamboo grubs a lot, and since I am a Cancer and I'm dating an Aquarius, I really get into moonlight raiding of earth termite mounds.-Robert "We have eaten grasshoppers for generations but I am the first one to come out of the closet about it. I am very thankful that I happened apon this website because I now feel that I am not alone."-Courtney "I am a teacher in a small private school in Philadelphia. My 6th grade science class is studying insects and I told them that we would be cooking bugs in one of our lab periods."-Jonathan "Keep on spreading the word about entomophagy it's great. I think bug eating is a great idea though I have never tried them in my life. I will taste bugs pretty soon though for a project that I am working on I will, also encourage others try the delicious critters Bug eating will probably be the new fad, just like the Italians and their that brought newfound fad of pizza. United States might discover a new type of franchise like Bugz2Eat, because of it's popularity. Who know it could happen. Keep on adding to you web site, do make a list of the different bugs you can eat.BYE"-Anonymous "I was riding my bike when a bug flew into my mouth and I swallowed it. It was totally delicious! Is this disgusting or what?"- Lee Anne "i didnt think you could eat roaches. im gonna catch them and feed them on cornmeal i think i need to cause iv used poison in my home before. this is neat. iv reaserched and found out lots of neat stuff tabasco roaches,crickets in chocalate alot of stuff. i was watching a show on aborigines they eat grasshoppers like candy. i dont know if thats safe tho."- John I am a 26 year old teacher who is excieted about breaking my cultural conditioning by eating bugs. I have only eaten crickets, scorpion, termites, ants, and sea worms, but look forward to continuing upon this strange, new and fun road.- Sam I am taking a course in Nutrition at Palm Beach Community College in West Palm Beach, Florida. After the instructor mentioned a web site on bug recipes I looked it up and eventually ended up at BABES. As an extra credit option I decided to do a paper on entomophagy. A requirement for this extra credit is providing samples to the class, presenting the paper and trying the food item yourself. gulp!! O.K..... I'll try it. I got some crickets at a local bait shop, cleaned 'em, baked 'ed, putted their legs off and put made the Chocolate Chip Chirpie cookies. I also made a couple chocolate candies with a cricket in each. I figured my batch of cookies would go untouched except for the instructor who stated she would try one. To my surprise there was much interest in my presentation and many people actually tried the cookies!! The was the anticipated horror and amazement but I was really impressed with the questions asked and the overall receptive attitude. A few adventurous souls even ate a second cookie. The instructor and I both tried the chocolate candied crickets. I was very pleased.... with the class... and the cookies. They turned out great! Munch on.... Arthur Bugs are really tasty! I eat bugs in Estonia every day!Juhan this one time i was running thrugh the crowded streets of yorktown indiana following those mean ass bug trucks. and if i recall i was about 17 or 18 years old. me and my friend just inhaled all of that stuff that we could so that we can save the bugs, cause i know that the bugs are our friends. anyways, i had this buzz that lasted about 3 or 4 weeks and i saved millions of bugs at the same time. thanks for putting up a great site and be sure to send me some of those yummy bug recipies and any more information that you might have. thanks,adam When I was a little kid...I ate ants off the bricks out side. My friend and I stuck them into chocolate. Now I have a bug living in my stomach. As soon as it decides to leave...I am eager to try all of your recipes.did you ever imagine that your website would have such an impact on others? I just got some curry spices in my eye....OUCHHHHHHH --- heidi My Bug Haiku Bugs are for eating So stop swatting and spraying Just eat them alive Paul My whole highschool was sitting in the gym for some assembly I was not paying attention to. I had taken on day dreaming and was not really concerned with what the principals was saying. Then I saw it. A tan bug that was just wandering around the floor near my legs. I picked it up and held it in my hand til the end of the assembly. Once back in class having nothing to do I set the bug on my desk. My friends watched it asking what I was doing with it. I said, "Oh just thinking about having a little early lunch," Yelps of disgusted were going around the room. One voice came out and said, "You won't eat it. You are just trying to gross us out." Having heard this I took it as a challenge. So I dared that I would. Some one said five dollars said she won't. Bets were going around the room of my freshmen English class. Not wanting to let them all down I had my friend take off its legs and antenaes. Think it was dead I held it in my hand. All of a sudden it flew. Where did these! wings come from? Screams came from the girls while the guys tracked it down and cut of its head and wings. I felt bad for the poor thing. So once having it back in my hands and people gathered all around. I popped it in my mouth and chewed. I stuck out my toungue with all the guts hanging up. My friends were shocked. I chewed some more and swallowed. Rings of laughter and distaste started humming from the room and around the school it got. Now I am known as the bug eater. Coming from very small town this was all so unheard of. Brittany |
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