Maggots
Ruby Band 14
Menu MAGGOTS ON THE MENU
Maggots on the Menu
on the
More and more people around the world are eating insects. But why are they choosing to do so? Is it simply that they are very tasty – or can eating insects also solve many of the world’s problems?
An information book
Mike Gould
collins.co.uk/collinsbigcat
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Maggots on the Menu Contents
1 Insects on the menu 2 Entomophagy – what is it? 3 Who eats insects? 4 So, what insects can you eat? 5 Why are insects so tasty? 6 Is eating insects good for you? 7 Which insects are healthiest to eat? 8 Solved! Insects to the rescue? 9 How can insect farming help? 10 Cattle or crickets? 11 Why shouldn’t we eat insects? 12 Can eating insects make you ill? 13 Worth the price? 14 Turning the tables 15 What do you think? Glossary Index Eating insects
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Written by Mike Gould
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1 Insects on the menu How did you feel when you read the title of this book? Did it make you feel queasy – or lick your lips? Perhaps that depends on whether you have ever knowingly eaten an insect. Whatever your answer, the chances are that you – or someone you know – is already choosing insects as part of their diet. If you already eat insects, you might know you can have them in burgers and cakes, in pasta and pancakes. Or as a special treat – just as they are, or dried and fried. Love it or hate it, insect food is here to stay! 2
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According to an organisation called the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF ), two billion people in over 80 per cent of countries in the world eat insects or insect products. IPIFF also say that there are 2000 insect species around the world which they believe are edible. These include mealworms, locusts, tarantulas and even scorpions! mealworm
scorpion
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tarantula
edible locust
In fact, insects have been an important part of people’s diets for thousands of years. So, should we all be eating insects? Or are maggots on the menu a step too far for some people? 5
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2 Entomophagy – what is it? Eating insects is certainly not unusual in the animal kingdom. There, entomophagy is a common practice. The word “entomophagy” means the practice of eating insects. It comes from the Greek “entomon” (insect) and “phagein” (to eat) and applies not just to humans who eat insects but to any living creatures that consume them.
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You might already know the terms for meat-eaters (carnivores) and plant-eaters (herbivores). Those that eat both are omnivores. Animals that eat insects are called insectivores. Common examples of animals that eat insects include: • reptiles, such as lizards and snakes • many types of fish, such as carp and trout • mammals, such as anteaters (the clue is in the name!), armadillos, sloth bears and marmosets • birds, such as swallows and nightingales …
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… and, not forgetting insects themselves! Insects, such as dragonflies, hornets and praying mantises all devour other insects. For these creatures, insects are part of their primary diet. In other words, it is the main way they get the essential nutrients they need to survive. For others, insects might not be their first choice of food, but eating insects provides them with supplements at important times, for example, during breeding. 9
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Maggots
Ruby Band 14
Menu MAGGOTS ON THE MENU
Maggots on the Menu
on the
More and more people around the world are eating insects. But why are they choosing to do so? Is it simply that they are very tasty – or can eating insects also solve many of the world’s problems?
An information book
Mike Gould
collins.co.uk/collinsbigcat
79114_Cover.indd 1
29/04/2022 09:30