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Home » Bug Treats?

Bug Treats?

By Janice VanCleave

bug-eating

Question:

Do some people really eat bugs?

Answer:

Yes, some people eat bugs as part of their diet.  The practice of eating insects is called entomophagy. Insects are high in nutritional value, low in fat and inexpensive. Sounds like the perfect choice for a low-cal diet.

insecticide1

Instead of spending money on sprays to kill roaches, ants, bee, and other insects, you could be catching them for your meal. Is your response YUCK? or YUMMY? A negative response would definitely come from Americans, while Asians are more likely to be receptive to the idea.

cricket-lollipops

The insect larvae, cricket, and grasshopper lollipops are for real. For those counting their calories, sugar-free lollipops are available. I’ll have to admit to purchasing iinsect lollipops and my grandchildren did squeal when they saw them. But it was one time that they declined a candy treat. I don’t remember where I put them. Guess by now ants have eaten them. Better them than me. Question:

How can one group find chocolate covered insects so appealing while another finds it repulsive?

Answer:

chocolate-covered-bug

Its called cultural taboo. This means that it is a behavior that is learned. American children are taught not to eat bugs, while some Asian parents serve their children different insects. Guess its true that you cannot teach an “old dog” new tricks. This is one “old dog” that doesn’t care to eat insects even if they are covered in chocolate.

Insects and Spiders

Insects and Spiders

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Filed Under: Biology, Insects Tagged With: cultural taboo, eating bugs, Insects

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The spoon hanging from the string vibrates when struck and these vibrations are transmitted through the string and the sound is amplified by the plastic cups. ABOUT ME: Hi, I am Janice VanCleave, author of 50 best-selling science experiment books for children ages 4 through high school. I taught science for 27 years. MORE.....

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