Eating Bugs and other Creepy Crawlies

Neapolitan · 02-04-2012, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

I've now ordered some cricket and scorpion lollies from a store on the net

Not my preferred way of trying bugs/arachnids, but at least it's something. Perhaps I can do a little review. I feel most brave about the crickets, but most curious about the scorpion.

My guess is they won't taste like much due to the sugar though, but hey. Maybe it'll break down some mental barriers if I have them

I wonder if it'll be hard.

I know you are pretty enthused about eating bugs but maybe those barriers are there for a reason, don't you think? Why do most people have those barriers? Are people afraid to eat things like that because 1.) they are ugly and their innards are slimy & disgusting or 2.) they're not accustom to eating bugs or 3.) is it because like being a picky eat a survival trait? Ticks, Fleas and Mosquitoes (among other things) are known to carry pathogens which can be transferred to humans and animals when are bitten by one - is there any danger of getting sick from eating bugs or insects?

Guybrush · 02-04-2012, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neapolitan

I know you are pretty enthused about eating bugs but maybe those barriers are there for a reason, don't you think? Why do most people have those barriers? Are people afraid to eat things like that because 1.) they are ugly and their innards are slimy & disgusting or 2.) they're not accustom to eating bugs or 3.) is it because like being a picky eat a survival trait? Ticks, Fleas and Mosquitoes (among other things) are known to carry pathogens which can be transferred to humans and animals when are bitten by one - is there any danger of getting sick from eating bugs or insects?

If you look away from the fact that some are poisonous and generally unpleasant (for example many insects produce a chemo defense which basically makes them taste like ****), I don't think it's particularly dangerous, no. Note that all your examples are blood suckers which are really the worst of the lot because they can be highly efficient vectors for parasites and diseases like malaria and lyme disease. However, most edible creepy crawlies are not blood suckers and the diseases and parasites they carry are likely specialized to those taxonomic groups and will not hurt humans.

Some of our fears certainly have basis in our evolutionary history, but I'm sure a lot of it (if not most by far) is cultural. After all, there are many insect/arachnid eating cultures in the world.

Stephen · 02-05-2012, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

However, most edible creepy crawlies are not blood suckers and the diseases and parasites they carry are likely specialized to those taxonomic groups and will not hurt humans.

Aren't there a number of worms that use insects as intermediary hosts? I'd have to do some research but I have a vague idea there are. Mind you it's equally plausible to catch such things from eating poorly prepared meat.

Guybrush · 02-06-2012, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fazstp

Aren't there a number of worms that use insects as intermediary hosts? I'd have to do some research but I have a vague idea there are. Mind you it's equally plausible to catch such things from eating poorly prepared meat.

Yes, there are f.ex stuff like nematode worm parasites which use insects as intermediate hosts, but then again most taxa will have that. The dangers of eating pork parasite-wise is that a pork tapeworm can do just fine inside a human because at the end of the day, there may not be that much difference between a pig and a human as far as the tapeworm is concerned. We have the same organs, the same kind of blood vessels etc. However, any parasite who specializes on insects will find your body a strange environment. Thus, the dangerous parasites from insects should be those who, as you say, are in fact specialized for some sort of mammal, but use insects as intermediate hosts. If they make up a larger parasitic threat than what you generally get from eating other vertebrates, I can't say for sure, but I don't believe that to be the case.

I don't think I've ever heard or read of anyone ever contracting anything dangerous from eating an insect. I know a guy who ate a slug (not insect, but) on a dare, though, and I would never do that. I know the kind he ate are often hosts to parasites that infect ducks (slug predators) and, while I guess even duck parasites won't harm humans that much, I would not like to risk it.

I'll have my crawlies cooked, please.

edit :

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vanilla

I've eaten Hou hou grubs cooked, they taste like peanut butter yum!

That sounds quite yummy actually. I love peanut butter

Stephen · 02-06-2012, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

Yes, there are f.ex stuff like nematode worm parasites which use insects as intermediate hosts...

I know a guy who ate a slug (not insect, but) on a dare, though, and I would never do that. I know the kind he ate are often hosts to parasites that infect ducks (slug predators) and, while I guess even duck parasites won't harm humans that much, I would not like to risk it.

That reminded me of a story a little while ago of a young child getting some form of meningitis after eating a slug or snail. Just Googled "slug brain damage" and this popped up.

Angiostrongylus Cantonensis