Humor Books Insect-eating is called entomophagy.
Insects provide an important source of protein, vitamins, minerals and fats in many cultures.
They are usually peeled and cooked before eating, like shellfish, and the legs are usually discarded. Generally larval insects rather than full grown ones are eaten, though ants and crickets are eaten in their adult stages. Not all insects are edible, so do your homework before you experiment. However, many insects are edible, more than 1,000 varieties. As with all sorts of meats, it's usually best to eat insects cooked, so as to avoid parasitic infections.