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A
recent comment (05/20/2006) from David Gracer prompted us
to create this new page devoted to Entomophagy, the habit
of eating insects. While many different insects can be eaten,
there are some that have a long reputation of being delicacies
in various parts of the world, including Giant Water Bugs
in Thailand. We are going to request that David search through
our archives and indicate which old letters need to be moved
to this new page. We know are readers are beginning to salivate
at the thought. You can always visit David's own site, at
Sunrise
Land Shrimp.
A
Gourmand's Feast
(05/13/2008) Plate of Edible Bugs - locust pizza, tarantula,
cricket cookies
I've been looking through your Edible Insects page and absolutely
loving Dave's comments. Although I've not eaten any
insects (or arachnids), at least not knowingly, I'm not squeamishly
opposed to the thought. I'm fascinated by the variety
of bugs eaten and by the ways they are prepared. Anyway,
I came across this fabulous display at an insectarium
in St. Louis this weekend, and I thought it would fit nicely
on your edible insects page. Thank you for all the time you
put into this website. It's very informative and full
of wit (specifically unnecessary carnage page).
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
We are happy you appreciate our sometimes questionable sense
of humor. We are thrilled to post your awesome epicurian sampler
plate.
Cockchafer
from UK is edible
(05/09/2008) made me late to work today
Brown wings underneath. I'm in Eversly, UK on business I threw
it outside after taking a couple of pics. What was it?
We have to confess that posting letters to our site has
made us late for work on more than one occasion. Glad to hear
it has the same effect on our readership. This is a Cockchafer,
also known as a Billy Witch. Read more on Wikipedia.
Edibility Update: (05/12/2008) Cockchafers:
Totally Edible
Greetings Daniel,
Hope things are good with you. Cockchafers are one of the
few European insects with a history of consumption -- both
the grubs and the adults. This is from the classic "Why Not
Eat Insects?" published in 1885 by Vincent Holt: Literally
tooth and nail we ought to battle with this enemy, for in
both its stages it is a most dainty morsel for the table.
. . . Again I endorse from personal experience. Try them
as I have; they are delicious. Cockchafers are not only common,
but of a most serviceable size and plumpness, while their
grubs are, when full grown, at least two inches in length,
and fat in proportion . . . . What a godsend to housekeepers
to discover a new entre to vary the monotony of the present
round! . . . Here then, mistresses, who thirst to place new
and dainty dishes before your guests, what better could you
have than 'Curried Maychafers' - , if you want a more mysterious
title, 'Larvae Melolonthae a la Grugru?'
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Giant
Red Headed Centipede from Texas
(05/07/2008) Big ol' centipede?
I found this big critter right outside my front door this
morning. I found your site a short time later - and think
it just an Austin Texas sized multi-colored centipede. I saw
a few really good pictures on similar ones on your site, but
didn't see many that provided a good indicator of the overall
size, so I've attached a picture of it on a one dollar bill
with bricks in background. Please let me know if I did a bad
thing by putting it back in the flower bed. Thanks,
Steve W
Hi Steve,
You really know how to "do the right thing" and releasing
your gorgeous Giant Red Headed Centipede, Scolopendra heros,
is an excellent example. It is true that centipedes are venomous,
and the bite of the Giant Red Headed Centipede is said to
be quite painful, but the species is a valuable predator in
the ecosystem that will rid your garden of many unwanted creatures.
Centipedes are not aggressive and will not bit a human unles
mishandled or otherwise provoked.
Edibility Update: (05/08/2008)
Edibility update: big centipedes!
Hi Daniel,
Sometime this year I'm going to finally dine on one of these
large centipedes. They're traditionally consumed in.... in.....
well darn it, of all the edible insects/arachnids/other arthropods
I've learned about, I can't recall exactly where it's eaten.
I'll hazard Peru. More importanly, David George Gordon's Eat-A-Bug
Cookbook features a recipe, so that makes it totally legit.
All the best,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Swamp Darner
(04/30/2008) Hero Swamp Darner?
Hello! My name is Sarah-Ellen Leonard and I've been
checking your site daily for about 6 months now. The
volume of information is impressive, as is your ability to
give feedback so rapidly. You have helped me with mealybug
infestations and calmed my fears about cicada killers.
I haven't had anything to send in until now: a hero swamp
darner, if I have read your site correctly. My coworker
here at the University of Illinois found him/her on the sidewalk
this morning. He/she is almost exactly 3" long
(sorry for the lack of size reference in the photo!) and occasionally
twitches in a feeble fashion. I'm afraid this lovely
creature may well be a goner. I just thought a nice
image of those lovely eyes would be a worthy addition to your
site. Thanks for everything!
Sarah-E
Hi Sarah-E,
Thank you for your kind words of support. We believe you have
correctly identified this Swamp Darner, Epiaeschna heros.
There are many images on BugGuide
to support this identification. While it is sad your specimen
will soon expire, at least you got a wonderful photograph
of a magnificent insect.
It's Edible: Sky Prawn
(05/01/2008) Edibility update: dragonflies
Hi Daniel,
Happy May Day. Gorgeous photo of that swamp darner. Not
so long ago dragonflies were a popular food in Indonesia,
where they're known as 'sky prawn.' They're eaten in both
nymph and adult forms, but the former must be cooked because
it may be a transitory host of a liver fluke. In old Japanese
folklore dragonflies are the steeds of dead spirits.
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Unknown Leaf Insect from Australia is Spiny Leaf Insect,
AKA Macleays Spectre
(04/27/2008) Cool Bug
If you know anything about bugs in Australia we would love
to learn what type of critter we have here. At first I thought
it was a dead leaf which had blown off of a clump of eucalyptus
branches I had just cut for my possums.... until I saw it
crawling up the spare possum box on the front verandah! NO
idea what it is but I kept a safe distance as the scorpion-style
tail looked somewhat threatening! Thanks
Tom
Hi Tom,
This is some species of Phasmid, commonly called Walkingsticks,
Stick Insects, or in the case of your specimen, probably a
Leaf Insect. We have not had any luck identifying the species.
Perhaps our loyal reader Grev, who often comes to our rescue
with unknown Australian specimens, will have better luck scouring
the internet than we have had. Leaf Insects do not have stingers,
and the posture of the tail end is display only.
Update: (04/28/2008) Unknown stick insect
from Australia
Hi Daniel,
Extatosoma tiaratum, Spiny Leaf Insect, is a member of the
Phasmid family. See: http://miller.emu.id.au/pmiller/books/stick-insects/phasmatodea/phasmatidae/tropidoderinae/extatosoma/index.html
... Kind regards,
Grev
Update: (04/28/2008) That Unknown Australian
Leaf Insect
Hi Guys,
most likely your stick/leaf insect is Macleays Spectre, Extatosoma
tiaratum Here is a reference link with pic http://miller.emu.id.au/pmiller/books/stick-insects/phasmatodea/phasmatidae/tropidoderinae/extatosoma/tiaratum/index.html
regards,
Trevor Jinks
Queensland
Edibility Update: (04/29/2008) Australian
phasmid: edible!
Hi Daniel,
Hope your semester is wrapping up well. Extatosoma tiaratum
is among the walkingsticks and leaf-insects consumed in Papua
New Guinea. They're also a popular display species in the
Insectarium world, and among amateur invertebrate-keepers.
Best,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Thai
Insect Sampler
(04/09/2008) Insect feast in Thailand
Hi Daniel and Lisa Anne,
I've been meaning to send you this for a while. In February I
attended an FAO Conference on edible insects in Chiang Mai,
Thailand. One night there was a big banquet; though
chicken, pork, and beef were the main courses, the meal
started with a range of llocally-consumed insect species,
most of which I'd never had. Clockwise from the
top: mole crickets and diving beetles [crickets very good,
beetles nasty]; large Brachytrupes crickets, very tasty; a
single katydid, not bad; a single sphinx moth, yucky; a rhinocerus
beetle, nothing to eat on it; more diving beetles and crickets;
a single long-horn beetle, too spiky, no meat in it; bamboo
caterpillars, really delicious; a giant water bug, disappointing,
I like my own preparation better; Acheta house crickets, good;
and large grasshoppers [Patanga succincta], absolutely wonderful.
Best,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Hi Dave,
Thanks for sending this yummy looking appetizer plate.
Metallic
Wood Boring Beetle from Brazil
(04/01/2008) Help with ID, possible Metallic Wood Boring Beetle
in Brazil
Hi Daniel!
First off, great website! I am writing to congratulate and
say that I have posted a video a while ago of a strange big
beetle found on my parents house in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo,
Brazil. Attached are some stills of the beetle, some of them
are on flickr as well. I had no idea if the insect was a cockroach
or a beetle and on the comments for that video I was pointed
to your website, where I could find some similar beetles photos,
I am suspecting it was something similar to this other 2
Fabricio
 
Hi Fabricio,
Your beetle is indeed one of the Metallic Wood Boring Beetles
in the family Buprestidae. We believe it may be Euchroma
gigantea but we might be wrong. Perhaps one of our readers
knows for sure.
Update
Daniel:
You are correct in your species ID of the giant buprestid.
I've never seen a live one, that must really be something!
Eric
Update: (04/06/2008)
Edibility update: big buprestid
Daniel,
Hope things are good with you two. The big wood borer is
eaten in both the larval and adult stages. Here's a source
and pertinent text. http://www.food-insects.com/book7_31/Chapter%2007%20Colombia.htm
Dufour (1987 ) reported E. gigantea among the foods of the
Tukanoans. The Tukanoan name for it is boopica . This, plus
other coleopterans used were all woodboring; the larvae were
preferred although adults were occasionally eaten as well.
The dry weight of the adult beetle was found to be 3.0g.
Best,
Dave
Eating
Insects in Japan
(02/25/2008) Eating Insects
Hi,
I guess that you would post this in your eating insects forum.
I spent 8+ years in Japan. I learned (on my own) to enjoy
insects as edible fare. The giant department stores there
often sold large insects as pets. One type often sold was
the larvae and adults of the giant Japanese Rhinoserious beetle
(Tripoxylus Dichotomous) I used to buy the larvae (they look
like humongouse garden grubs) and would boil them in water,
before placing them in jars of alcohol to preserve them. (boiling
them helps keep their natural white color when you pickle
them.) Well, while boiling them, they smelled so good that
I decided to eat some! Here's what I did: After boiling, I
would slice them open and remove the central gut with its
digested wood. Then I would cut off the too-crunchy head and
six legs. The remaining white body I would dip in hot, melted
butter with lemon juice, and enjoy! Yum! The flavor is like
a cross between escargot and frog-legs...a sweet, earthy flavor.
I also enjoyed the sweet, white bodies of Brood-X, 2004 Periodical
cicadas, just after they're emerging from their underground
nymphal shells. I would collect these and sauteé them
in garlic butter. Cicadas are extremely clean insects, only
drinking tree-juices, and have wonderful sweet flesh.
OK, heres another treat I enjoyed while living in Japan: Dragonfly
thoraxes! There were billions of dragonflies flitting around
all the ponds there and I netted dozens and dozens of them
for my meals. Pop-off the heads, legs, wings, and abdomens,
and the thorax is nothing but powerful wing-muscle meat...Extremely
delicious and flavorful. Sauteé these in butter and
enjoy the sweet, tender flesh which is true red-meat.
I have tried other commonly-eaten insects but don't really
like them: Grasshoppers have an ugly taste, as their guts
are filled with their meals and their "spit" which
is untasty to me. Ants tend to be sour, what with their formic
acid and all. Caterpillars have a wierd taste, like the smell
of brand-new rubber garden-hoses. However, Japanese silk-worm
moth larvae are good, with their almost tea-like flavor. Remove
the heads and six true-legs for a softer-fare. I DO recommend
Tenebrio (domestic meal-worm beetle larvae and the larger
"super-worm" Tenebriads) as they eat clean grains
fed to them and have a sweet grainy taste. Delicious, cooked
or sauteéd. Cut off their heads and legs to remove
some of the "crunch". I have tried eating tarantulas
too. But to me, only the 'thorax' portion is edible. The abdomen
is filled with the silk-glands and these are too chewy with
their liquid silk formula. The taste is quite earthy,
but different from their 6-legged relatives. Very "escargot"
in flavor, use the same butter formula to cook: Butter, Shallots,
garlic, parsley, salt 'n' pepper to taste. Insects are quite
edible if you can get over the "yuk factor" that
is instilled in almost every American!
Fred
Hi Fred,
Thanks so much for your informative letter. If food prices
continue to rise, eating insects might seem much more desireable.
Giant Mesquite Bug: adult and nymphs (and it's edible!!!)
(01/28/2008) Giant Mesquite Bug in Southern Arizona
Hey Bugman!
I found these beautiful bugs at the campground of Sabino Canyon.
They were the decorational highlight of a Mesquite tree. What
kind of Giant Mesquite Bug might that be? Thanks for any information!
Daniel
 
Hi Daniel,
These really are called Giant Mesquite Bugs. The species is
Thasus acutangulus. The winged specimen in the single photo
is an adult, and the nymphs are the brightly colored non-winged
individuals.
Hi Daniel,
The large bug Thasus is highly-thought-of in Mexico. I've
read a good deal about how it's used there, or at least once
was. It's called "Chamoes" as reported here [under the archaic
genus-name Pachilis] and the details include both direct human
consumption and as an element of egg-yolk coloration when
fed to laying hens. Also mentioned is a crude protein content
of 65.4% and fat content of 19.4% Of all the edible insects
found in the US this is one of the most sought after -- by
me! If anyone would like to play the supplier role let's
talk. Thanks,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Thai
Treats: Roasted Giant Water Bugs
(01/07/2008) Giant Water Bugs
I have enjoyed reading your informational site. I borrowed
one of your photos to illustrate the portion of meat I ate
when stationed in Thailand in 1969. The Giant Water
Bugs were collected under the street lights at the Korat Air
Base, in central Thailand. The native guards would roast
them over a little campfire. They taught me to stick
a bamboo skewer into the abdomen and slowly roast them. They
peeled the exoskeleton behind the head to reveal a tasty morsel
of white meat. The taste reminded me of a small sweet
scallop. The guard did not have me eat the whole bug, but
I understand they can be fried or roasted and eaten whole.
At the time the locals called them Baht Bugs because
the people could sell them for 1 Baht each at the market.
The value was 5 cents at the time. That was fairly
valuable since a man working hard labor in the hot sun would
only make 15 cents per hour. Our guard supplemented
his income by collecting dozens of the Water Bugs, putting
them in burlap bags.
I forgot to add my name Thanks for maintaining such a great
website.
Lucky Ketcham
San Diego, CA
Hi Lucky,
Thanks for the great anecdote. We will post your letter to
our Edible Insects page.
Palm
Weevil Larvae, we think
(12/10/2007) deung duong
They farm it in South Thailand. These pictures are from the
country in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Are they a larvae or grub?
Their natural habitat is infesting coconut trees I was told.
Gary J Chandler
 
Hi Gary,
In parts of the world, the Red Palm Weevil is a serious agricultural
pest. According to the Red
Palm Weevil website: "Red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
, has different common names such as coconut weevil, Asiatic
palm weevil, or Indian red palm weevil. It is a serious pest
for coconut in some Asiatic regions and an important pest
for the date palm in the Near East. It was recorded in some
Arabian Gulf States during eightieths and then reported as
a destructive insect for date palms in Egypt at 1992 (Saleh,
1992; Cox, 1993). " We believe the insects in your photos
are either the Red Palm Weevil or a closely related species.
Beetle larvae are known as grubs, and Weevils are beetles,
so you can refer to these creatures as either larvae or grubs.
They are considered edible in Thailand where many other insects
are eaten as well.
Banded Paper Wasp from Thailand with edible larvae
(12/07/2007) What is this wasp
Hello,
First, I apologize for the large file. I do not want to resize
it as the wasps are small already. I could not (and did not
want) to go closer. I could not find the exact match from
whatsthatbug.com . I think they look like polistes paper wasp,
but not very sure. Please help identify. The picture was taken
in Bangkok, Thailand. The nest (or comb ?) is about 6 feet
from the ground. Please also advise if they are dangerous.
They look tame to me. Thanks
Wit
 
Hi Wit,
According to a website
we located, this is a Banded Paper Wasp, Polistes sagittarius.
The author of the website writes: "This species, in my experience,
is rather defensive. It will tolerate people moving calmly
around the nest, but any attempt to get close is met with
suspicion and defensive behaviour from the workers. The workers
attack if the nest is touched, and unlike many other species
which wildly sting whatever they can latch on to, this species
often aims straight for the head! However, like most Polistines,
its nests do not pose a threat in most cases, unless built
near very crowded areas." The species is found in China, Hong
Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and elsewhere in Asia.
Update: (12/10/2007)
Hi Daniel and Lisa Anne,
Hope the end-of-the-semester finds you both well. These paper
wasps in Thailand are guarding their grubs, as nearly all
of the hymenoptera do. They're eaten in various parts of
the world; ant pupae are exported and are sold here in Providence,
but not bee/wasp/hornet larvae or pupae. I haven't tried
any yet, but I'll get my chance soon. I keep hearing they're
great, and you did get that really cool letter from Tla-i-ga
recently about yellowjackets. Here's an interesting picture
[one of a series] of the same kind of thing in China: All
the best,
Dave
Water
Tiger: Predaceous Diving Beetle Larva (and you can eat it!!!)
(10/29/2007) Killer bug!
Hi all,
I caught this little guy while trolling ditches for inverts
for my naturalized tank at work. He was about 2.5" long
and particularily vicious. He killed virtually ever other
invert in the tank, stole food from the 9 shiners and 1 "wild-caught"
koi and the small frog and generally made a demon of himself.
I think it's a hellgrammite? Or some kind of stone nymph.
Anyhow, the tank overheated one weekend during a power failure
and i lost killer bug and my frog. :( Keep up the good work!
Cheers,
alicia,
Vancouver, BC
Hi Alicia,
This is a Water Tiger, the larva of a Predaceous Diving Beetle.
There is an interesting description on a website known as
Findarticles.
We are sorry to hear about you stewing your local fauna tank.
It sounds like a refreshing change for the usual jobsite aquarium.
We once kept a Los Angeles River aquarium going for five years.
Though the winged insects flew away, the three mosquito fish
produced many generations until they finally succumbed to
a rogue raccoon. We kept the aquarium outside on the patio.
Update: (11/04/2007) edible: water tigers
Hi Daniel and Lisa Anne,
I hope you both had a good trip to D.C. Both larval and adult predatory/scavenging
water beetles are eaten in China and Southeastern Asia. A
batch of adult Water Beetles were collected for me in Louisiana
this past summer; I hope to receive them soon. They were
gathered with light traps that some insect-hunters used; swarms
of various insects came. I'm wondering if any of your readers
know of people who collect insects this way, and if anyone
has tried putting lights over the shallows of a pond to attract larvae
and other water insects. If so I'd love to learn about their
experiences. Best,
Dave Gracer
www.slshrimp.com/
Recipe
for Yellow Jacket Soup
(10/25/2007) Edible Bugs
O'siyo Oginalii, (Hello, my friend)
I am Aniyunwiya (Tsalagi or Cherokee), descended from those
who were not captured and sent to out west, or confined to
North Carolina. I found your page after a painter asked
what the cocoons on my house were. I said, "Bagworms"
and he said that could not be right. He was incorrect.
I have spent the last hour looking through your site, and
have added it to my "Favorites." I would like
to share a couple of recipes with you. Yellowjacket
grubs can be made into soup after removing them from the comb,
which is best achieved by placing the comb upon a fire (or
a stove) until the covering is parched--this makes it easier
to remove the grubs. Next, brown them in
the oven. They are good to eat like this, or they may
now be used in soup. Early morning or late afternoon
is the best time to harvest the comb. Locusts also are
edible. It is best to gather them immediately after
they have emerged from their shells, otherwise you will have
to peel them. Gather them after dark, or they will not
be good. Wash them and fry them. They may be eaten
hot or cold.
Tla-i-ga (BlueJay)
Wow Tla-i-ga,
We are sure David Gracer will be thrilled with this information.
Toe-Biters
and other Insect Fast Food in Thailand
(09/20/2007) Rescuing fish...!
Hi Daniel,
Many thanks for sparing your time to identify my whipscorpion.
The poor little thing was probably snoozing somewhere nice
and dry under the big pot - I feel guilty now about putting
it back in the waterlogged yard ! Looking at the all the whipscorpion
pics, it looks like I found one of the less scary looking
ones! On a slightly different tack, you mention elsewhere
that toe-biters are a delicacy in Thailand, so I thought I'd
send you a couple of photos of these tasty snacks at a roadside
stall in Bangkok. Mmmm...Yummy ! ( Actually that's me quoting
somebody else. ) Also, I've just looked at the ' About WTB
' for the first time, and am delighted to find you're not
nerdy boffins, but outrageeous artists !! Love the I da Ho
sweater ! Cheers,
Graham.
Hi again Graham,
Thank you so much for adding to our Edible Insect archive
with your Toe-Biter Fast Food images.
Tarantula
(09/19/2007) Tarantula pics for you all.
It's the time here in the central coast of CA when these handsome
guys wander out looking for mates and higher ground.
Saw this 5" monster crossing the road and brought him
home for some photos. He was very calm and only "shot"
hairs at me once. Dropped him off right where I found him
the next day on my way to work. Thanks for all the helpful
information you provide on your site!
Kurt Kummerfeldt
Hi Kurt,
Thanks for sending us your high quality Tarantula photograph.
We believe it is Aphonopelma iodius, a species found widely
in California, Nevada and Utah according to Sharon McKenzie's
posting on BugGuide
which states: "one of their characteristics is that dark triangle
on the carapace that surrounds the eye turret area."
Tarantulas -- edible! (sometimes too much sought-after)
Hi Daniel,
While the tarantulas of the American Southwest have traditionally
not been eaten, this is not the case in the Amazonian rain-forest
and the teeming tourist towns of Cambodia. The super-huge
Theraphosa (so-called 'bird eating spiders') of Venezuela
have traditionally been on the menu. The spiders are teased
out of their lairs with grass; speared; and roasted over flames
to singe off those urticating hairs. Actually there's an
unfortunate precedent: tarantulas served at an exotic foods
banquet at the Explorer's Club in NYC were insufficiently
cooked, and some diners went to the hospital with hairs in
their esophagi. The small town of Skuon, Cambodia, is well
known for fried tarantula. People [I suspect foreigners,
mostly] have traveled to Skuon in particular to partake from
the stacked piles of black, shrunken bodies balanced on the
bamboo trays of street-hawkers. Many conservationists suspect
that the tarantula population will not sustain this kind of
enthusiasm. Best,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Rodent
Bot Fly Maggot (and it's edible)
(08/15/2007) Squirrel insect
These grubs or insects showed up in my cabin along with a
dead squirrel the cat brought in. Could be that its a coincidence
or perhaps the cat brought them as an additional gift. The
insects were not on the squirrel. Can you help me identify
these so I can decide weather they a friend or foe.
Rick in Western Colorado
 
Hi Rick
Here is one sure to gross out our readership. These are Rodent
Bot Fly Maggots, Cuterebra species. The Rodent Bot Fly is
a mammalian endoparasite. According to a website
we located: "The female flies will lay their eggs along rabbit
trails and near rodent burrows. The first stage larvae will
hatch and quickly attach to hair when a host brushes against
the egg. The larvae then burrow into the skin and leave a
breathing hole. " Also on the website is the information:
"Cuterebra is a normal bot fly of rodents and rabbits, but
can also infect cats, dogs, and man. The adult fly looks like
a bumblebee and is rarely seen. It may appear a shiny blue
or black color. The third stage larva is dark brown to black
with stout black spines. " Your close-up photo shows the mouth
hooks of the maggot, substantiated by this image on BugGuide.
Bot Flies are also known as Warble Flies due to the lumps
visible on the skin of the hapless host. There is also a Human
Bot Fly, Dermatobia hominis, that is found in Central America.
Wolves on Rabbits
(08/15/2007)
Daniel...
After just reading your description of the bot fly larvae,
I'm wondering...at certain times of the year (usually late
summer, early fall) when my father would go rabbit hunting,
(we actually depended on them for food in the '50's), they
would sometimes get rabbits with what they then called 'wolves'
in their necks and we were not allowed to use them for a food
source. Could it be that I've learned after all these years that
these were actually bot fly larvae? I large lump would most
times be visible. Does this actually damage the meat for
human consumption? Thanks for taking the time to read my
query and if you have time to answer, that would be great,
but if you don't, I understand.... Sincerely,
Pat, Hawk Point
Hi Pat,
It sounds like your rabbits with wolves were parasitized by
a Bot Fly. The meat near the wolf or warble might be unsavory,
but cooking the meat would definitely kill the parasite.
Joanne Gets Sick!!!(08/15/2007) The Rodent
Bot Fly
Will you pay for cleaning my nice leather recliner cuz I just
barfed on it.
Joanne
Close Encounter with a Human Bot Fly!!!
(08/15/2007) Human Bot Fly experience
Hello fellow bug-nuts,
Your recent posting of the rodent bot fly larvae brought back
some interesting memories. I brought an unexpected souvenir
home from a trip to Costa Rica in '00. You guessed it. Luckily,
I'd read about these critters. Made me the hit of my local
doctor's office. I actually printed a page from a Canadian
website and brought it along in to prove I knew what I was
talking about. It is a very weird sensation to feel these
beasts move when they're in your flesh (mine was in the flab
of my upper left arm). You can actually feel the bristles
they anchor themselves with as they twist about. The research
I did told me the adult female bots actually wrestle a mosquito
down and lay an egg on the mosquito's abdomen. Then the mosquito
bites a host, the egg on her belly hatches (very quickly,
apparently), and the newborn enters the mosquito's bite site.
My research also gave me the bot's larval timeline, so I
knew how long I had, and how insistent to be at the doctor's
office. Love your site! I check it every day.
Don J. Dinndorf
St. Augusta, MN
Bot Fly Larvae are Edible
edibility update on bot fly
Hi Daniel,
Just to keep the gross-out fest going, and to answer Pat's
question: I'm pretty sure that NO, the presence of bot fly
larvae would not render the host animal inedible. There's
a good deal of documentation [as recent as 1918] of Inuit
hunters taking down caribou that were infested with large
fly larvae, and then making a point of cooking and eating
the larvae first. Not sure if I could do it, especially considering
the textural issue of those rough, stubble-like projections
all over the larvae's sides, but the point is that if some
people enjoyed eating the actual flesh-consuming maggots,
then eating the rest of the animal would not be a big deal.
Reluctance to do so is pure 'fussiness' on our part. Best,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Golden
Silk Spider
(08/16/2007) Spider - Volusia Co
I've changed my mind about the sz of the spider - it's front
legs are about 2" long! It may be closer to 4"
in sz. I kept looking - may be a golden orb spider.
Would still like to know what's happening in the 4th pic where
it looks disjointed?? Thanks
Betty
Orange City
 
Hi Betty,
This is a Golden Silk Spider or Banana Spider, Nephila clavipes.
The image in question shows the molting process. As an arthropod
grows, its exoskeleton does not, and it needs to be shed to
allow for growth. Immediately after molting, the insect is
soft and vulnerable, and often hides until its new exoskeleton
has hardened.
Edible Update
(08/16/2007) Nephila spider: edible!
Hi Daniel,
Hope this note finds you and Lisa Anne well. I recently learned
that the formidable-looking Nephila are eaten somewhere in
Asia, I think it's either India or Malaysia. Somewhere I've
got a grainy black-and-white picture of a bundle of these
spiders tied together by their legs in the marketplace. I'd
go get the picture but we're in another state now and I don't
want to delay writing to you. I haven't yet deliberately
eaten a spider. Best,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Toebiter
Bar-Be-Que
(08/02/2007) Edible toe-biters
Hi Daniel,
Thought you might be amused to see this image from a
recent barbecue thrown by entomology fans. In addition
to the many standard menu choices, I'd brought some insects.
These Giant Water Bugs are sold by the fourpack on a Styrofoam
tray. Though the thick exoskeleton is not really edible,
there's actual meat inside and it's very tasty -- a really
unusual flavor in fact. Best,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Hi Dave,
Thanks for sending us that yummy looking photo.
Edible
Leafcutter Ants
(07/24/2007) Edible Leaf-Cutter Ants
A little while back I received a package from an amazing person in
Texas whom I met indirectly through www.Bugguide.net . This
spectacular individual had agreed to try to harvest these
winged alates [which emerge within a pretty specific time-window,
kind of like cicadas but far less numerous]. Though
at first it had seemed that we’d missed the window
of opportunity, in the end I got OVER 2 POUNDS of these impressive
and beautiful ants. They were shipped overnight to my
Rhode Island home and arrived nicely chilled.
I’ve tried them; while they’re tasty – unlike
cicadas, their wings are largely inedible –
I have yet to make them the delectable delicacies I know them
to be. These ants are consumed in Mexico, Guatemala,
Colombia, and probably elsewhere. If anyone can suggest
a good recipe (Roasting, baking? What spices, if any?)
I’d be grateful for some advice. Thanks,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Thanks David,
We can always depend upon you for palette stimulating submissions.
Giant
Longhorn from Bolivia
(07/23/2007) Can you identify this big?
I came across this bug while on a mission trip to Bolivia,
I cannot for the life of me remember what they called it.
Can you please Identify it? I have attached it to this
email
Laurne
Hi Lauren,
This is a Giant Longhorn Beetle, Macrodontia cervicornis.
We found information on Wikipedia
that states: "Macrodontia cervicornis is the largest and best-known
member of this genus of long-horned beetles, and this species
is sometimes considered the second longest among all beetles,
with known specimens exceeding 17 cm in length. A fair bit
of this length, however, is due to the enormous jaws, from
which it derives both of the names in its binomen; Macrodontia
means 'large tooth', and cervicornis means 'deer antler'.
For that reason, it is generally excluded from consideration
by purists who do not take the jaws, legs , or antennae of
a beetle into account when determining length. This species
is known from the rain forests of Colombia ,Peru ,Bolivia
, the Guianas, and Brazil , but there are an additional seven
described species in the genus, extending the overall range
of the genus from Guatemala to Argentina ."
Update: (07/24/2007) Macrodontia [the grubs]
are a delicacy
Hi Daniel,
Impressive images of that beetle. There's evidence that these
guys were once meals in the Amazonian rain forest; a desirable serving
not only of protein and vitamins but of pleasing and energy-giving
fats. While that still might be true, I have a feeling that
these days someone finding a grub in the jungle would be likelier
to raise it to adulthood and sell it as a specimen than eat
it. Which is kind of sad, really. Best,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Pandora PineMoth has edible caterpillars called Piuga
by the Paiute!!!
(07/11/2007) Mystery Moth
Hi!
I found your site after scouring the internet for an identification
of a moth I found that stunned itself running into my
window. I live in Mariposa County in California about
25 miles from Yosemite National Park. This..not so little..guy
is really fuzzy and has bright orange non-fuzzy stripes
on his body. Its the second one I've seen in two days.
Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!!
Charity
Hi Charity,
This is a Pandora Moth, Coloradia pandora. It is a male judging
by the antennae. There are five images on BugGuide,
and all are from Klickitat County, Washington, USA. Curious
about what caused some naturalist of yore to name this lovely
moth after that mythical she who unleashed countless plagues
upon our planet upon opening the proverbial "Pandora's Box",
we continued to web search. The Butterflies
and Moths of North America site has addtional information
and lists this as the Pandora Pinemoth. Additional research
led us to Wikipedia,
which had this information: "It is native to the western United
States. The larvae of the Pandora Moth feed on the foliage
of several species of pine trees, including the lodgepole
,Jeffrey , and ponderosa pines. The larvae populations sometimes
reach high enough levels to cause severe defoliation; such
outbreaks have occurred in northern Arizona , central Oregon
, and southern California . The Paiute people in California's
Owens Valley and Mono Lake areas harvest, prepare, and store
the Pinemoth larvae (which they call piuga ) as a preferred
food. This has brought the natives into conflict with the
United States Forest Service , which has sought to control
Pinemoth populations through the use of insecticides." There
is no information on Conservapedia,
a fascinating site we just read about that has a glaring lack
of information on the Praying Mantis as well. HMMMMM. What's
That Bug just might try to contribute that much needed article
to the conservative rebuttal of the heathen scientific information
on Wikipedia, though somehow we think our sense of humor might
not be appreciated there.
Cabbage Tree Emperor Moth from South Africa: Bunaea
alcinoe
(03/26/2007)
Not sure if you can identify caterpillars from Africa but
the picture of one attached is 'bugging' us. We would love
to know what its called, and whether its poisonous? We came
across several in a garden near Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
It was about the size of an average index finger. 3-4 inches
long. thank you Regards
Fran and John Barnes (England - UK)
Hi Fran and John,
All we can say for certain is that this is a Saturnid Moth
Caterpillar, and it looks like one of the Royal
Moths, the group that contains the Hickory Horned Devil
in the U.S. Though formidable looking, these are not poisonous
caterpillars.
(03/28/2007) Royal Moth caterpillar from S.Africa
Hello Daniel and Lisa Anne, Apologies for having been silent
so long; I have quite a few images of edible insects to send
[in fact I recently supplied edible bugs to The Tonight Show!]
but am having trouble formatting them for appropriate sizes.
This dramatically-colored caterpillar from South Africa: it's
Bunaea alcinoe, as found in Kirby Wolfe's wonderful Saturnid
site. And yup, it's edible throughout several southern African
countries. Here's the pertinent web page: http://www.insectcompany.com/silkmoth/kwbalcinoe.htm
All the best,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Hi again Dave,
Thanks so much for the identification and link. Further research
on our part has revealed a common name, the Cabbage Tree Emperor
Moth.
White
Lined Sphinx Caterpillars
(08/06/2006) Hi Guys,
Hope this note finds you both well. Here's some edible-bug-page
text. I went ahead and sent in what I had before, plus one
new one. We moved over the month of June, so I've been out
of communication.
Here's the Text: White-Lined Sphinx: Hyles lineata
You've gotten various pictures of this caterpillar; I've listed
them here. You might want to take the most recent one. A more
radical idea would be to show them all - good contrast to
show the variability of the markings? 'Course that might well
be a lot of work. Just a thought. This caterpillar was (and
might still be, for all I know) a very popular food item throughout
most of its range, particularly in the Western U.S. and Mexico.
To the Pima of southern Arizona it's makum. To the Maricopa
along the Gila River it's ame. The Seri of northwestern Mexico
call/ed it hehe icam, which means "plant's live thing."
This information (and the narrative for Rhynchophorus on this
page) comes from DeFoliart's impressive text, which can be
found at www.food-insects.com
.
I had a chance to eat this caterpillar in New Mexico in June
2005, but I was on sacred ground at the time so that would
have been a no-no
David Gracer
Hi David,
Thank you for clueing us in to the edibility of this highly
variable caterpillar..
Sowbugs
4/24/06
If you Google "woodlouse recipes" you'll find this
site,
http://www.geocities.com/~gregmck/woodlice/recipes.htm<http://www.geocities.com/~gregmck/woodlice/recipes.htm>
which describes fritters, fry-up, scones, and sushi. There
might well be other
recipes elsewhere. I've tried them, though not in these dishes;
they weren't
memorable as either tasty or the opposite, but I think that
in the sushi they'd
stand out a bit more. In his short yet masterful 1885 opus
'Why Not Eat Insects?'
Holt mentions that sowbugs, a perfectly wholesome food, were
used in the traditional
folk medicine that had fallen into disrepute even then. After
all, they look just
like pills when they roll up, hence another of their names
-- pillbugs.
David Gracer
Cerambycid
grub
12/03/2005
Cerambycids are eaten around the world; along with the scarab
and weevil
families they are the most popular edible beetles, and like
the others are
consumed almost exclusively in the larval stage. I am repeatedly
impressed that
insects - both these beetles and others such as termites -
can turn wood into
protein so efficiently. Considering how much dead wood there
is in the world's
forests (and what a small amount each insect would require),
wouldn't that make
them a good food source? This is a magnificent specimen and
I have no doubt
that it would have been delicious. If you think you're sensing
deep regret and
longing in that last sentence, you are correct.
David Gracer
Dobsonfly
for Dinner!!!
(08/04/2006) this bug... what is it??
Hi, I found this bug outside and it was dead when I found
it. It was just so strange I put it in a container and too
pics of it. I can't seem to find anything like it on the internet.
I put some pictures of it in the email, but here's the facts
you might not be able to tell by the pics. It has small eyes,
6 legs that are NOT bent back like a grasshopper... They're
all down and pretty short. It has a wierd pincher thing on
it's butt... I don't know if that's for mating or what. It
has hard tusk like things coming off it's face. I'm not sure
if they're antenna but then it has another set of antenna
on its head. It has I THINK 2 sets of wings. I could only
see 2 wings, but my cousin picked up the bug and said he thought
there was another set of wings under the ones we can see.
If you can help me PLEASE tell me what this thing is. If you're
not the one that can ID it, please pass it on to who can.
Thank you very much,
Andrea
Hi Andrea,
It is so daring of you to serve up this male Dobsonfly for
Dinner before you even knew what it was and if it was edible.
We already have the larval form, known as Hellgrammites, on
our edible insect page, and now we will add your toothsome
specimen to that page as well.
Hellgrammite
(05/22/2006) What kind of bug is this?
I found many of these bugs shortly after it rained in North
Georgia. I was on a camping trip and I would like to know
what these are. Thank you
David
Hi David,
This is a Hellgrammite, the larval form of the Dobsonfly.
They are prized bait for trout fishermen.
Update from David Gracer
www.slshrimp.com
Hellgrammite
Dobsonflies are classed in the order Neuroptera. The larvae,
hellgrammites, are not only by fisherman as bait, but are
also highly regarded as food in some places (mostly Mexico
and South America). The larvae are found under stones in streams,
but of course they’re well-equipped with pain-inducing pincers.
Although these are among the most fearsome-looking of all
the edible insects I’ve seen, page 157 of the excellent book
Man Eating Bugs: The art and science of eating insects displays
a picture of a little girl in Peru holding a large hellgrammite
by the pincers. If any readers in Southern New England find
one or two of these guys and can save them for me, I’d gladly
chow down.
Edible
Mexican Queen: Leaf Cutting Ant
(05/19/2006) Ant or Wasp?
Hi WTB,
I found this wasp or maybe ant in my driveway this morning
when I went to take the trash out. I also saw a second one
trying to right itself out of a small puddle on our walkway.
I'm in central Mexico, in San Miguel de Allende, and we've
had a bit of rain the last few days, including last night.
This creature is about 1 1/2" - 2" in length with
fuzzy thorax, and the rear section is very bulbous with shiny
dark brown stripped sections. The overall color is kind of
a reddish brown. The antennae are straight so it doesn't quite
look like a tarantula hawk. And while it looks like a wasp
there doesn't seem to be a stinger. So I'm uncertain as to
whether this is a wasp or an ant. It also was originally upside
down and I picked it up by the wing to put it right. Doesn't
appear to be aggressive. There are pinchers on the mouthparts.
A look on your wasp pages and ant pages left me clueless as
did a search on bug guide since I wasn't too sure exactly
what specifically to look for. Hoping you can shed some light
on this.
Thanks in advance,
Stefanie
Hi Stephanie,
We saw these same enormous Flying Ants many years ago in Chiatla,
Puebla, Mexico. There was an incredible swarm after a rain.
We don't know the species but we will do some research.
Mexican flying Ant
Hello Daniel and Lisa Anne,
I am in love with your site, and visit it daily. The flying
ant is from the genus Atta, the leaf-cutting ants. In fact
she is an alate, a winged Queen. These insects are known as
"Hormigas Culonas" ('big-bottom ants,' in reference to their
quite substantial abdomens) in Colombia, where they are so
esteemed as a delicacy that they appear to be in danger of
overharvesting. I've eaten them -- though, alas, not fresh
from the source -- and can report a taste like bacon and pistachio
nut combined. Edible insects are my passion, and I've been
thinking about sending you a couple of images. If you'd be
willing to include a link to my site, that would be fantastic.
All the best,
Dave Gracer
www.slshrimp.com
Update: (07/25/2006) Edible Mexican Queen:
Leaf Cutting Ant
Hi, great site! Regarding the Edible Mexican Queen, having
lived in Chiapas I can tell you that the local name for this
is "nucú" (doesn't rhyme with cuckoo). As mentioned by Stefanie
and Dave, they usually swarm right after heavy rains, when
they are harvested by locals and toasted for food. Haven't
tried them myself, as they are only aboveground for a short
period before shedding their wings and burrowing to (hopefully)
start a new colony, and I was never around at the right time.
Saludos,
Diego V. Hernández
Update: (08/01/2007)
Another update on Mexican Ants
I'm afraid Diego might be somewhat mistaken about the "Edible
Mexican Queen Ant". The edible ants in Chiapás aren't queen
ants (or at least they're not only the queens). They are
collected in large groups and can be bought by the kilo, so
I think they must be female worker ants or possibly males
or both. They only come out in swarms around June. Nucú is
probably a term from the Mayan language. I believe the ants
are toasted only to keep them from moving around too much!
They are also attracted to reflections of light so a lot of
them are collected as they drown in puddles or containers
of water. Nucú cools off immediately and is usually eaten
cold. Sometimes is cooked mixed into other foods, and can
be mixed into salsas, or sprinkled on food like a condiment.
They have about the same texture as popcorn and taste a bit
buttery (definitely could use some salt!) Probably better
with lemon juice too. Note that fruit here is a small green
lemon, not really limes! The major problem with the Nucú
is the legs very easily get stuck in your teeth. Its only
for this reason I stopped eating them.
Chris Daniels
Palmetto
Weevil
(05/06/2006) Black Beetle with Red Markings - ???
Dear Bugman:
I found this large (1.25 inches long) beetle floating in my
Florida swimming pool this morning. I dipped him out with
the pool net and laid the net down in the shade of some hibiscus
bushes, measured and photographed the beetle. I left it there
in the shady quiet to dry off, and eventually it must have
departed. Can you tell me what it was?
Thank you,
Ann K.
Hi Ann,
This is a Palmetto Weevil, Rhynchophorus cruentatus.
Update from David Gracer, edible insect specialist
(05/25/2006)
www.slshrimp.com
Palmetto Weevil: Rhynchophorus cruentatus
Rhynchophorus weevils: the ULTIMATE in yummy! This is the
North American representative of possibly the most treasured
edible insect of all. The larvae of R. cruentatus and R. palmarum
were/are eaten throughout much of the New World, and other
members of the genus are among the most sought-after foods
in some societies. R. ferrugineus, better known as the Sago
Grub, is eaten in Papua New Guinea; some people have gone
there just to eat them. Yet this species, which feed on palm
trees, has become introduced into many countries, from the
Middle East (where it's a serious threat to culturally-important
date palms) all the way west to Spain. Most Americans, though,
would probably feel that the grubs look totally disgusting.
There's a picture of them on my website. Due to its status
as a premium delicacy, there is a slightly larger body of
lore for these weevil grubs than for most other edible insects.
Here is a report from the Caribbean: Provancher (1890) visited
several Caribbean islands in 1888 and related the following
(as translated by Starr [1993]): While in Port of Spain, Trinidad
in May 1888, we stopped by Laventille [now a poor section
of the city] one morning in the company of some Dominican
fathers.. Walking along a street that skirts the hill, we
came upon a black man splitting a wooden log with his hatchet,
and near him a little girl holding a teacup. 'This man is
looking for palm grubs,' one of the fathers told us. 'Let
us stop a moment if you would like to see them.' On approaching,
we saw that the log was in fact the trunk of a palm, probably
a coconut palm. It was about four or five feet long and in
an advanced state of decomposition. Every blow of the hatchet
exposed seven or eight big, very plump grubs, each about three
inches long, which the little girl was eagerly gathering into
the cup. These larvae were truly handsome animals, of a lovely
yellowish white and with six dainty feet near the front end.
'And do the black people eat these grubs?' we asked. 'Oh no,'
we were told, 'this food is too precious for the poor. They
collect them for sale to the English gourmets, who relish
them.' 'What price do they fetch?' 'A small cup such as you
see there usually goes for a 'gourde', $1.' We estimated that
this trunk would furnish at least two such cups of grubs.
These grubs are . . . [the larva of a curculionid beetle,
Calandra palmarum Fabr.]. Of course "Calandra" is nothing
more than an archaic classification name for Rhynchophorus.
As you might imagine, the amount of money discussed would
represent a great sum to those doing the gathering. This account
is powerful evidence for the argument that Europeans (and,
therefore, even Americans) can quickly learn to love eating
insects. One of these days I will have the opportunity to
eat Rhynchophorus grubs.
Field
Cricket
(03/20/2006) Field Cricket
Dear Bugman,
I stumbled across this picture of what I believe is a regular
field cricket that I took last September here in Barrie, Ontario.
Are you able to tell if it's a male or female? Are those wings
on it's back? What do these guys do during the winter months?
Thanks for your help and keep up the great work!
Yvonne
Hi Yvonne,
Your Field Cricket is in the genus Gryllus. It is a female
evidenced by the long ovipositor. Those are wings. Field Crickets
die at the first frost unless they have sought shelter indoors.
Eggs overwinter deep in the soil. The males chirp.
Update from David Gracer (05/31/2006)
www.slshrimp.com
Field Cricket
Although House Crickets (Acheta domesticus) are the ones most
often served to the public at insect expositions and similar
events, Field Crickets are also said to be yummy. David George
Gordon [the best-known entomophagist in the U.S.] has quipped
that their Latin name, Gryllus, is an invitation to eat. House
crickets are quite easy to raise in captivity and are therefore
one of the mainstays of the herpetological pet hobby; they
taste like shreds-of-crab-turned-into-popcorn. I usually serve
them sautéed with veggies, mixed with rice or another grain.
This summer I will try the field crickets, which I suspect
will be even more robust in flavor.
Longhorn
Beetle from Panama: Acrocinus longimanus
Ides of March 2006
Hello Bugman,
I found this beetle in Buena Vista, Panama. His body was about
8 cm long, but the front legs were enormous. He made a funny
grinding noise when you would pick him up. Like those old-fashioned,
wind-up toys that sounded like grinding metal. Can you tell
me what he is?
Thanks,
Lisa
 
Hi Lisa,
Our friend Monica from Switzerland just mailed us a beautiful
book called Living Jewels by Poul Beckmann, and plate 28,
Acrocinus longimanus, is a dead ringer for your beetle. The
book lists it from Peru, and BugGuide
pictures a specimen from Ecuador.
Update from David Gracer (05/31/2006)
www.slshrimp.com
Longhorn Beetle from Panama: Acrocinus longimanus
The larvae of this species is eaten throughout much of Mexico
and South America; like that of other big Cerambycids (Macrodontia,
for example), such a meal would be both good-sized and, one
might say, expensive. The grubs are large, and the adults
that the larvae would otherwise become would fetch considerable
sums of money as mounted specimens. Also worth noting: insects
that feature complete metamorphosis - beetles, lepidopterans,
flies, etc - are far more often consumed in the last-instar
larval and pupal stages than the adult stage. The previous
stages have a lot more protein and fats, which provide the
fuel necessary to transform the insect into the imago stage
(and would therefore make the potential food item more desirable
in terms of both taste and nutrition.)
Female
Mormon Cricket
(01/17/2006) SUMMER EXPLORING
hello bugman!
last summer, i went hiking in Fairmont, BC (in canada). we
drove up behind some very cool hoodoos, but along the way
we came across this REALLY creepy looking bug. i took several
pictures of it while it was digging or poking its stinger
into the ground. this image was the last one, after it retracted
it, and then we ran away. i was wondering what type of bug
it was that i was so fearful of.
Thanks!
hoodoo explorer
Dear Hoodoo Explorer,
This is a female Mormon Cricket in the genus Anabrus, one
of the Long Horned Katydids. She was in the process of laying
eggs.
Update from David Gracer (06/12/2006)
www.slshrimp.com
The Mormon Cricket got its name from the colorful tale of
a plague on the newly-arrived Mormons who were threatened
with devastation, but saved by a vast flock of seagulls that
swept down and ate up the bugs. These insects were an important
staple in the diets of many Indian groups. DeFoliart
has catalogued the many ways that the insects were gathered
and prepared; most of the accounts were written by white observers
of Indian culture in the 1800s. I haven't tried them yet,
but I've been told repeatedly that the ones that have eaten
the farmer's alfalfa taste MUCH better than the ones that
have eaten sage. This is one of the species that, at least
in some years, could easily be mass-harvested or cultivated
for either human consumption or, perhaps more realistically,
as animal feed.
Periodical
Cicada Swarm (last year: Brood X)
(07/23/2005) Greetings Bugman!
Last summer in may we were blessed with thousands of these
creatures! I cannot remember if this is the 17 year cycle
cicada, or if it is a different amount of time. being a night
creature myself, I decided to watch the emergence of these
wonderful bugs from its previous shell. the first two pictures
were taken may 15th 2004 - 2:00 a.m., 4:00 am. (not included
was the 1:00 pm next day of the completely dry cicada next
to its shell.) The third might have been from another night.
The 4th picture is just to show the abundance of them in our
backyard. (Columbus, Indiana) When they first arrived, we
only heard the gentle cooing hum of the females(?) and we
all thought there was something wrong with the powerlines!
I just thought you might like to add these to your collection!
Lydia C. Burris
 
Hi Lydia,
Thanks for your awesome images. These are the Periodical Cicadas,
sometimes called the 17 Year Locust. There are many different
broods, and yours are from Brood X, one of the largest. Every
different locale gets these amazing creatures in a different
yearly cycle. Having different cycles helps to ensure the
perpetuation of the species. There are also 14 Year Periodical
Cicadas.
Update from David Gracer (06/12/2006)
www.slshrimp.com
Cicadas both annual and, particularly, periodic have been
popular human food for a very long time. Native Americans
ate them; they're popular in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Aristotle, extolling how delicious he found cicadas, preferred
them still in the brown shell that the adult form hatches
out of. In 2004 I drove to Princeton NJ and harvested several
pounds off the trees. I even popped a couple of the newly
emerged white ones down the hatch. Very soft, creamy and good,
like asparagus (which other tasters have commented upon.)
Cooked and crunchy-hard they're still great; nutty.
Honey
Bee
(03/14/2005) Baby spiders, bee, grasshopper
Hi! Thought you might enjoy these pix of: newly
hatched linx spiders (hard to tell on small picture, but when
I zoom in they look just like Mom), cute bee (maybe you can
ID this one?), and a big grasshopper on a cactus. Thanks
for the wonderful site.
Best Wishes,
Donna in San Diego
Hi Donna,
Thanks for the images of the Green Lynx Spiderlings. Your
bee is a common Honey Bee, Apis mellifera and your grasshopper
is a Gray Bird Grasshopper, Schistocerca nitens. The females
can grow to 2 1/2 inches in length or larger.
Update from David Gracer
www.slshrimp.com
Honey Bees
In addition to honey itself, many species in the genus Apis
are harvested for bee brood (the high-protein larvae in the
honeycomb; the brood harvested from Apis laboriosa is called
Bakuti in Nepalese. Notice that evocative Latin name). To
the extent that they’re eaten at all, domestic honeybees are
consumed almost exclusively at certain Entomology Department
get-togethers. While most American beekeepers would shudder
at the thought of harvesting their future worker bees as a
food source, the larvae are vastly more nutritious than the
honey, and from everything I’ve read they’re delicious. One
of these days I will have to give it a try….
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