Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-08
Why We Should Eat Bugs
BY Frederic J. Haskin

Washington, d. c., June s. Mot
long ago DR.. L. o. Howard. chief of the
bureau OF Entomology, which is that
Dranch or the department OF agricul-
lure devoted to the study of insects,
caused to be dug up on the department
grounds a number OF big. fat, white
gruDs, or garden slugs Of the sort you
frequently turn up when digging for
balt. These were not intended for bait
however. Dr. Howard turned them
over to another government scientist
Dr. Langworthy who wears the title of
chief of the bureau of home economics
ana Knows more about cooking than
anybody else in Washington. DR.. Lang.
worthy presented the worms to his
most skillful chef, who made of them
a rlch broth. thickened with chopped
lettuce leaves and seasoned with salt.
pepper and paprika. In this unusual
FORM the grubs returned to the initia-
tor OF the enterprise. DR.. Howard, who
consumed cup Of the worm soup with
great gusto and proclaimed 1t delicious.
One OF his assistants courageously
backed the chief, and he. too, said the
soup was good There was no argu-
ment. .s... .~t
These conservative scientists were
not merely indulging an exotic taste
Tor an lnsectivorous diet Neither Of
them had ever knowingly consumed
any insects before. But they shared a
serious scientific conviction that in
sects are an excellent human food.
which is being almost entirely neglect
ed by civilized man; and they wished
at once to put their beliefs to the test,
and to give a practical demonstration
of the edibility OF bugs.
The argument in favor of eating in
sects is literally unanswerable. Like
wise the prejudice among most civil.
lied peoples against eating insects Is
almost insuperable. So the situation
is deadlock. "A sufficient number OF
exalted examples. like that of DR..
Howard, might sufflce to break 1t. II
New York society, for example, would
take up cockchafer on toast and grass.
hopper omelette. there is little doubt
but what these dishes would come into
general favor. An administration real
ly DESTROYS of lowering the cost of liv-
ing might do much by having some OF
the more savory native insects served
at the white house table Dr. Howard
made beginning Let whose has the
courage follow him. - 9
The matter is Of far more moment
than appears at a glance. The popula.
ton of the. earth is increasing at
great rate, and everywhere food is be-
coming more difficult to obtain. Espe-
cially is this true of animal food Red
meat, fish, shell fish and the crustacea
are all becoming scarce. The last Of
these, the crustacea, including the lob
sters, shrimps and crabs, are first
cousins to the insects, having the same
sort of flesh and structure. Yet the
lobster scars to unheard of prices and
is threatened with extinction. while his
near relative; the June bug, has oscar
ed all consideration as an article Of
diet. -. 81
Our refusal to eat insects is incon-
sistent, sQueamish and ridiculous
that is apparent. That is not the end
of the matter. however. It may be
stated with almost literal truth that
sooner or later we will have to eat the
insects in self defense. Modern life
on this planet Is a battle between man
and the insects-and the latter are in
every physical respect better fitted to
survive. All other forms OF life have
been subjugated by man SO far as he
has come in contact with them. Only
the insect remains in almost 4undimin
ished numbers and continues to men
ace the life and we'll being of the hu-
man race Grasshoppers descend upon
our crops and leave whole states and
nations to famine. Several Central
American republics are now in starv-
ing condition as result of these pests.
The boil weevil. creeping southwark,
threatens the life of great industry.
Moths devour the shade trees of whole
cities. : House hys take thousands Of
lives by acting as disease carriers. and
the mosquito laden with yellow fever
and malaria. kills more men than any
wild animal that ever inhabited the
earth. ~-'.r..e'. .-.s..
So modern life Is in a very real
sense a desperate struggle between
man and the insects. Some scientists
believe that it is the insects who will
survive and that they will own the
earth long after every other form OF
life has persisted. DR.. Howard believes
that man will ultimately overcome the
insects by reason of his superior in
telligence: and the valiant battle
which his department is waging
against the insect enemies Of Ameri-
can agriculture is an impressive DEM
onstration of his theory. But whether
we are to conquer or not, 1t is certain
: -