Although they don't show up on the Food Pyramid, insects as entrees will be a featured attraction at Purdue University's annual Bug Bowl, April 18-20. A snack that once crawled may not sound enticing, but bug cravings draw more than 10,000 people to Bug Bowl every year. A three-day celebration of insects, Bug Bowl includes everything from a cricket spitting contest to an insect petting zoo. New this year will be a parade of Volkswagen Beetles decorated as bugs. The Bug Bowl is the biggest outreach event in the School of Agriculture.
People come from all over the state.
People are very intrigued by insects, by the alien characteristics bugs have. Her involvement with Bug Bowl began in the spring of 1992 when she helped plan the event. Bug Bowl is a fun approach to insects with an educational aspect. Each year she demonstrates ways to cook favorite foods with insects, teaching people about insects and nutrition. She also asks audience members to step up and participate in a blind taste test of spice cakes, one with meal worms and one without.