How to Eat an Insect or Arachnid

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Last Updated: February 12, 2025 References

Whether you're expanding your pallet or attempting to survive in the wilderness, bugs are an easy and abundant source of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Over 80% of the world's population eats bugs, both raw and prepared, and every climate and location in the world has bugs and arachnids worth eating. ^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Finding and Harvesting Edible Bugs

1
Turn over logs and rocks to harvest a variety of edible insects. The best place to find an edible bug is a dark, damp spot like the underside of a fallen tree or rocks on the edge of a stream. While it requires a bit of trial and error, this is by far the easiest way to capture insects and arachnids for food. As long as you move quickly, you can catch plenty of edible insects, including:
- crickets
- pillbugs
- larva
- dragon and damselflies
- beetles
- termites
- ants
- centipedes. ^{[2]
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2
Hunt out rotting wood and fallen trees to harvest nutrient-rich termites. Termites are the second-most eaten insect in the world, and for good reason. They are naturally defenseless, plentiful, and nutritious. They are also easy to find, making their home in any dead wood and eating until there is nothing left. Turn over logs and fallen trees and harvest as many of the small white bugs as you can.
- In the drier climates of Africa and Asia, termites often form enormous mounds that are easy to break open and harvest. ^{[3]
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3
Craft a "net" with a two sticks and a bandanna or cloth for flying bugs. This is especially helpful when catching bugs over water, or low-flying bugs like butterflies and moths. Once you've surrounded the bug, you can close the two sticks together to trap the insect. For a bigger net, tie your shirt between the two poles, then sweep it across the surface of the water to round up the insects and grab them tightly. ^{[4]
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- Moths, butterflies, and dragonflies are all viable sources of protein.
4
Use a simple stick to harvest ants out of a colony or mound. If you run across an ant mound, you've hit the jackpot. Take a thin, straight stick and stab it into the top of the mound. You'll quickly notice the ants swarming around it, climbing and covering it after a few minutes. Once it's covered to your liking, removed the stick and wipe the ants off into a container.
- The only ants to avoid are the bright red fire ants. The rest are edible, though most people find them sour and unpleasant when they are uncooked.
Crickets, grasshoppers, moths, and butterflies are all much easier to catch if you can stun them first. A young tree sapling with a bushy, leafy top acts like a large flyswatter, knocking bugs out of the air and temporarily stunning them. Cut down a young tree or a long branch with a wide, leafy top, then use it in an open field or meadow to trap the insects before they can fly off. ^{[5]
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6
Use a digging stick to get at slow-moving, nutritious insects underground. There is little reason to dig into an insect mound by hand, as it is dangerous and impractical. Instead, stab deeply into the mound and upturn it, causing the bugs to scatter. Any long, reasonably thick branch will work. Once you've cleared a space, you can quickly reach in and snag the precious food inside. You should also dig into damp, loose soil underneath fallen trees and use your stick to break apart rotting wood.
- White and plump larva or maggots are nutritious, if unappealing, insects that will hardly move when disturbed. Search them out in damp soil or rotting wood.
7
Trap scorpions and tarantulas with a jar, then pierce them with a large skewer to kill them. Both of these big arachnids are delicacies across the world and taste a bit like crab. The biggest hurdle when catching them is avoiding a sting, so use a long, thin stick or skewer to get them from a distance. Be sure to remove the stinger before eating and cooking. ^{[6]
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- In general, you want to avoid any smaller arachnids, like spiders or scorpions, unless you have no other options. They have minimal nutritional value and are more likely to contain toxins.
8
Smoke out a wasp or bee's nest to get at the larva inside. An old Japanese tradition, smoking out hives is difficult but rewarding. You can use a big, smoky fire to remove the dangerous adults and get to the larva inside. Build a normal fire, then create a lot of smoke with young or fresh wood, leaves, or branches and place it directly under the hive. After 1-2 hours, once you no longer see wasps entering and existing, remove the hive to harvest the rich larva inside. ^{[7]
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- Adult bees and wasps are edible raw or cooked as well, as long as you remove the stingers first.
9
Know the bugs to avoid when searching for food. Most bugs are edible, and even more are easily eaten when cooked properly. In the wilderness, however, it is better to be safe than sorry. Since there are so many insects available, it should not be difficult to avoid the following:
- Disease-carrying bugs like ticks, mosquitoes, or flies.
- Brightly colored bugs, specifically red, yellow, or orange insects.
- Hairy or furry bugs, with the exception of tarantulas and bees.
- Foul-smelling insects.
- Bugs found near foul-smelling waters or animal carcasses, with the exception of maggots.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Preparing Bugs in the Wild

1
Cook bugs before eating whenever possible. While you usually can eat bugs raw without consequence, there is always the risk of parasites or diseases when eating raw insects. Furthermore, cooking insects and arachnids before eating almost always improves the flavor and texture, making them much easier to get down if you're squeamish. Depending on your equipment and scenario, you can:
- Boil them for 1-3 minutes.
- Fry them in oil for 2-3 minutes, or until crunchy.
- Heat them over an open flame for 3-5 minutes.
- Roast them on hot coals for 3-5 minutes.
2
Boil any bug for 1-3 minutes, then sprinkle with salt. The simplest and safest way to serve insects in the wild, boiling for a few minutes will kill any possible parasites and toxins. Simply drop the bugs in boiling water for a few minutes, depending on size, and then remove and eat. Smaller bugs, like ants, only need a minute or less, while larger bugs like tarantulas and grasshoppers could use 2-3 minutes.
- Drop in a "test bug" to see how long you should cook the insects if you are unsure.
If you've got some cooking oil, they'll be even better, but it isn't necessary. Simply cook them for 2-3 minutes until they are crispy and easier to eat.
4
Wrap the bugs in fresh leaves to roast them over hot coals. Make sure that the leaves are still fresh and green so that they don't catch fire quickly. Simply roll up the insects into a homemade pouch and leave them over the heat for several minutes until crunchy. If possible, turn them after 1-2 minutes to cook evenly. In total, they shouldn't need more than 4-5 minutes to cook. ^{[8]
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- If you don't have any cooking gear, this can be an effective way to cook smaller insects, like ants or termites. Create a small pouch with your leaves and dump the little bugs in, alive or dead. They will cook quickly in the extreme heat of the fire. ^{[9]
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This is likely the quickest and easiest way to cook up bigger bugs like moths, grasshoppers, and beetles. Simply use a long, thin stick to skewer the bugs, like marshmallows, and toast them over the fire for 3-4 minutes. ^{[10]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Preparing Gourmet Insect Dishes

You don't know if neighbors are using pesticides, which can live in the bodies of the insects for a long time and enter your body when eaten. If you live in the country and are far from farms or neighbors, you might be okay. In general, however, it is best to order edible bugs online or from a specialty market.
2
Turn crickets into flour to use in a variety of baking dishes. Cricket flour is quickly gaining popularity as a high-protein substitute for wheat. It is also a good way to incorporate bugs into your diet without having to look the bugs "in the eyes" while eating. In general, you still need traditional flours when baking, but you can swap out roughly ½ to ⅓ of the flour for cricket flour. You can buy it online, or make your own:
- Freeze the crickets overnight to kill them.
- Dry the crickets in a dehydrator or bake them in the oven at the lowest temperature until crispy.
- Grind the crickets into a fine powder using a food processor.
3
Toast grasshoppers and locusts on a griddle with chili and lime. This Mexican dish (known as "chapulines") is served on its own as a snack or mixed into salads and dishes that need some extra crunch. Use a little bit of oil to crisp up the outside of the bug, then season with some salt, chili powder, and fresh-squeezed lime.
- Chapulines are often seasoned and used in tacos, or served with eggs.
- Grasshoppers are perhaps the most common insect you can cook, and can be served in a variety of ways. ^{[11]
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Roast the bugs at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until crunchy. Some chefs simply add the bugs to their normal dishes, like salads and slaws. Others have gotten inventive, using the nutty flavor to their advantage in cookies and pies, where they can substitute for pecans or pistachios. ^{[12]
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Fry tarantula and scorpions for a crab-like delicacy. Both bugs are full of meat and are easily prepared and eaten. Start by removing the stingers -- the back of the tail for the scorpion and the abdomen (the "butt") of the spider. Then singe off any hairs on the legs using a lighter or crème brûlée butane torch. You can then deep-fry the bugs in hot oil, with or without a batter on the outside. Cook them for roughly 1-2 minutes, until crispy, then serve with salt and garlic powder. ^{[13]
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6
Purge slugs and snails with cornmeal before eating. Slugs and snails can, and will, eat a variety of plants that are toxic to humans. These toxins stick around if not purged and will make you sick. If you're looking to up your escargot game, you need to fatten up the snails on cornmeal for a week before cooking. Place them in a container with 1-2 tablespoons of cornmeal, allowing them to eat for a week until they have flushed out the toxins.
- You may also use steel-cut oats, or other fine grains, as food. For snails, you may want to put in leaves and bark from plants you know are non-toxic.
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Question

Is it okay to eat a cricket live if I raised it myself? Are there life-threatening side effects?

Community Answer

They are edible to humans if they are fed things humans can eat (non-toxic).

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If a bug had told me he had a fiance and that I should not eat him, should I eat him anyways?

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No. That wouldn't be very nice.

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This article is gross, I would suggest to leave poor animals be if you have other things. Why would you want to eat insects or arachnids?

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I can agree with you on this, but sometimes in a few cases the insect or arachnid can taste very interesting.

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Tips

Research which insects are edible in your area if you're planning an expedition.

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Arachnids can be particularly tricky to assess as safe, and should be avoided unless there is no other option. Tarantulas and scorpions, however, are common delicacies in many countries.

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When eating bugs, try not to think too much about it. You will hold back longer if you do.

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Warnings

When in doubt, don't eat the insect. There are plenty of edible insects out there, and the low calories from one questionable insect aren't worth the risks of getting sick.

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Poisonous insects or arachnids can make you seriously ill if you are stung or bitten. Always exercise caution when harvesting.

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How to Eat an Insect or Arachnid

Steps

Finding and Harvesting Edible Bugs

Preparing Bugs in the Wild

Preparing Gourmet Insect Dishes

Community Q&A

Tips

Warnings

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References

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