Top 10 Arthropods You Won't Believe People Eat
Some arthropods may look disgusting, scary, or unappealing to most people. However, some of the most disgusting- or scariest-looking arthropods are actually edible!And who knows, they might even taste good!
Spanish for "small fly," mosquitoes are insects that have been known to cause various diseases. A sample of diseases caused by mosquitoes: malaria, yellow fever, Chikungunya, West Nile virus, dengue fever, filariasis, Zika virus. Mosquitoes are flies from the family Culicidae.
Ah, mosquitoes, the deadliest and most annoying animals ever. They seem useless, but they actually help maintain ecosystem balance by serving as food for certain animals. Surprisingly, humans also consume mosquitoes, specifically their eggs, as adult mosquitoes carry diseases. In Mexico, mosquito eggs are considered a delicacy!
One of these flew into my sister's mouth. She ate it.
Cockroaches (or roaches) are a paraphyletic group of insects belonging to Blattodea, containing all members of the group except termites. About 30 cockroach species out of 4,600 are associated with human habitats. Some species are well-known as pests... read more Cockroaches are insects from the order Blattodea.
This really, really, really disgusting insect is actually edible! However, not the ones we see every day. Everyday cockroaches carry bacteria and viruses, but cockroaches bred under laboratory conditions (and fed only fresh fruits and vegetables) can taste good and be healthy too.
Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy arachnids belonging to the Theraphosidae family of spiders, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. Tarantulas are spiders from the family Theraphosidae.
Just imagining people eating these hairy creatures is already disgusting, right? But believe it or not, people do eat tarantulas in Cambodia and Venezuela. They're said to taste like crab and have a nutty flavor.
Flies are insects from the order Diptera.
Another annoying and disgusting insect, yet flies are actually a delicacy (not the adults, which carry diseases). The pupae of the common housefly are said to taste "sort of like black pudding."
Centipedes are arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda of the subphylum Myriapoda. They are mainly carnivorous and they prey upon insects, spiders, small birds and rodents, and even other centipedes. Centipedes are arthropods from the subphylum Myriapoda, class Chilopoda.
Fried centipedes on sticks are eaten in China. Honestly, it's not surprising because many unusual foods are consumed in Chinese cuisine.
The simple fact that people eat these things makes me want to vomit!
Wasps are insects from the order Hymenoptera that are neither bees nor ants.
They're eaten in Japan. Both wasp larvae and adult wasps are edible. Wasp larvae are cooked in soy sauce and sugar and are said to taste sweet and crunchy. Adult wasps are used to make wasp crackers.
Scorpions are arachnids from the order Scorpiones.
Scorpions are eaten in Thailand, Vietnam, and China. Like centipedes, they are fried on sticks.
I've seen lollipops with dead scorpions inside - and you can eat them.
Many people worry about eating insects unintentionally, but ants usually keep themselves clean due to their sensitive antennae and grooming habits. However, some ants may carry contaminants, which is still a concern. If you accidentally eat an ant, consider it a good source of protein.
Ants are insects from the order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae.
Many different types of ants are eaten. Honeypot ants are consumed in Australia, while leafcutter ants are eaten in South America. They are said to taste sour because ants emit acid when threatened.
Bees are insects from the order Hymenoptera, close relatives of wasps and ants.
Bees are known for producing honey, which we eat, but the bees themselves are also edible. Adult bees are consumed in China as traditional medicine, while bee larvae are eaten in many countries across Asia, Central and Southern Africa, South America, and the West Indies.
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Butterflies are part of the class of insects in the order Lepidoptera, along with the moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight.
Millipedes are a group of arthropods that are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments; they are known scientifically as the class Diplopoda, the name being derived from this feature.