Walter Hix
Bugs you can eat in the Wild
Although bugs aren't on the frequent menu of anyone, you can eat these to survive in the wild. While many of you may squirm at the idea of eating bugs, however, in various eastern cultures eating insects is common. Bugs are abundant, nutritious, and less impactful on earth when it's to their growth.
In any survival situation, eating bugs can be an ideal sustenance source for anyone. Regardless of where you are in the wild, you can always find some edible bugs to fuel yourself.
Bugs you can eat in the wild for survival
Here we have enlisted some of the best options that you can consider in this regard.
So, here we go:
1. Crickets and Grasshoppers
Crickets and grasshoppers are the most widely consumed bugs worldwide. Eating them in the wild can make survival easier for you. The best thing about crickets and grasshoppers is that they are abundant in the wild. Moreover, you can catch these bugs without any specific tools.
It would be best if you went hunting grasshoppers during the day while crickets at night. Besides that, early morning can be a good time to catch grasshoppers, as they become slower in the chill.
You should remove the legs, antenna, and head of crickets and grasshoppers to prepare them for eating. Roast these bugs in a pan, over the fire, or even metal sheet. You can also fry grasshoppers and these aren’t bad.
2. Termites
- Like various other bugs you can eat in the wild, termites also provide excellent protein amounts.
- Termites are also less likely to carry parasites as these typically live in the wood. Even though adult termites are hard to grab, you can easily catch nymphs, soldiers, queens, and larvae.
- You can catch termites anytime, inside the wood, as it is their key food source.
- When catching termites, you must do the process fast. Otherwise, these will crawl deeper inside the wood after seeing the light.
You can roast them on a hot surface or pan. Cook until crispy, and add a chile powder and salt pinch for a delectable treat.
3. Ants
Ants are also abundant, which is amazing because you need them in plenty to move your hunger’s needle. To catch ants, find an ant hole or anthill and shove a stick into it. Once you find it, the ants will start crawling up, remove that stick and dunk it in the cooking water.
Cooking ants can neutralize that they use to subdue their victim. Even though the acid won't hurt you but will give you a sour taste.
Still, if you want to eat uncooked ants, ensure they are dead to keep them from biting you on their way down.
4. Dragonflies
Dragonflies are unmistakable, edible bugs that can be a tasty savior for you in the wild.
- These bugs contain two lifecycles; adult and nymph. Adult dragonflies usually have colored wings and live around water bodies.
- On the other hand, nymph dragonflies are green, more petite, and live in water. As the flying ability of nymphs is lower, these are easier to catch.
- Using a net, you can catch the dragonflies in any of their life cycles. You can look at them under aquatic plants’ leaves.
Remove the legs and wings of dragonflies and sauté them for a few seconds to eat.
5. Earthworms
Earthworms aren’t bugs but can be a life-saving option in the wild. These worms can provide you with enough calories to survive in the wild.
- You can find these everywhere, especially after rain.
- In the absence of rain, you should check them in decomposing woods, damp soil, and under rocks or leaves.
- In an emergency, you can consume earthworms in raw form. Otherwise, it is safer to boil or cook these before eating as they can potentially carry parasites.
6. Grubs
Grubs are generally beetle’s larval stage. Some of these can be crunchy and small. On the other hand, some are juicy and fat.
Bees also have a grub stage, but collecting them requires more effort. You have to smoke out any active hive to calm adult bees and collect grubs.
Grubs are common in covered dark places such as the bark of trees, rotting logs, or under leaves or rocks. You can find these anywhere, any time, and collect them by using your fingers.
Screw the grubs you catch on a long stick lengthwise and cook them over a fire. You can also marinate these if you have the resources and time to eat them in a fancier way.
7. Beetles
Another edible bug on our list is beetles, that is highly nutritious. Beetles are rich in protein and various minerals and vitamins. You can roast these dry or add them to different recipes.
Important things to know about bugs in the wild
Always remember that bugs are nutritious. Bugs can provide plenty of vitamins, protein, and even fat in modest amounts. However, whenever it’s about to find bugs in the wild, you must consider the things mentioned below for ensured safety.
So, here we go:
- Avoid bugs in bright colors, especially orange, yellow, and red. Bright colors are a way of advertising danger from nature.
- Instead, choosing the bugs or insects that are hard to see would be best. Prefer eating bugs in colors like green, brown, and black. It is because these bugs can turn into your favorite food for survival.
- You should also prefer staying away from the bugs emitting odors. The odors typically indicate toxins. Paradoxically, stink bugs are an exception here; you can eat raw more often.
- Another rule of thumb for eating bugs here is to cook them when you find them to eat. Bugs harbor nasty parasites, bacteria, and various other such things. You can neutralize most of these by cooking.
In addition, eating cooked bugs will also keep them from the nasty feelings of eating bugs.
Final Thoughts
In any survival situation, people wouldn't probably make it on bugs alone, but these can be a part of your food to keep you alive. Therefore, learning about different bugs you can eat in the wild is always important.
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