These 15 Insects Are Totally Edible, But Are They Delicious? Try Them And See

I always knew that some cultures eat bugs. As a kid, I could never figure out why. I liked McNuggets and Happy Meals. Why did some kids around the world prefer scorpions and worms?

Since I grew up, I still haven’t learned to appreciate their reasons, but I began to understand why. To some people, these 15 edible bugs are just as delicious as ice cream on a hot summer day.

Warning: If you recently ate lunch, you’re not going to want seconds after seeing these “dishes!”

1. Agave Worms

Wikimedia

This kind of worm is sometimes found in tequila or mezcal bottles. The larvae are often pickled in alcohol or consumed as a standalone dish in Mexico.

2. Scorpions

China Photos

In China and Thailand, scorpions are typically served fried, where they taste like a soft-shell crab.

3. Grasshoppers

Jorge Uzon

Roasted grasshoppers are a fairly common dish in Mexico. They are served with chile and lime, and sometimes featured in grasshopper tacos!

4. Honeypot Ants

Wikimedia

The Aboriginal people of Australia eat these ants, which also serve as walking food carts to other ants in the colony.

5. Silkworms

Pornchai Kittiwongsakul

Fried silkworm grubs are consumed in South Korea and Thailand, where the silk industry looms large.

6. Nsenene

Afp

Described as tasting like a cross between chicken and shrimp, these African grasshoppers are common in Uganda as a fried dish.

7. Mealworms

Ed Oudenaarden

Mealworms are typically used as pet food, but sustainability organizations in Europe promote its use as an ingredient in other dishes, like cakes or burgers.