Entomophagy

 ( Ethology ) 

Entomophagy (, from Greek éntomon, 'insect', and phagein, 'to eat') is the practice of eating insects. An alternative term is insectivory.Deluycker, Anneke (April 2017): Insectivory. In: The International Encyclopedia of Primatology. John Wiley & Sons. 10.1002/9781119179313.wbprim0062.ScienceDirect: Insectivory.

Entomophagy is sometimes defined to also include the eating of other than insects, such as and ; eating arachnids may also be referred to as arachnophagy.

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In non-humans Entomophagy is widespread among many animals, including non-human primates. Animals that feed primarily on insects are called .

Insects, nematodes and fungi that obtain their nutrition from insects are sometimes termed entomophagous, especially in the context of biological control applications. These may also be more specifically classified into , parasitism or , while , bacteria and fungi that grow on or inside insects may also be termed entomopathogenic (see also entomopathogenic fungi).

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In humans Entomophagy is scientifically described as widespread among non-human primates and common among many human communities. The scientific term describing the practice of eating insects by humans is anthropo-entomophagy. The eggs, larvae, , and adults of certain have been eaten by humans from prehistoric times to the present day. Around 3,000 practice entomophagy.

Julieta Ramos-Elorduy (1998). 9780892817474, Inner Traditions / Bear & Company. . ISBN 9780892817474

Human insect-eating (anthropo-entomophagy) is common to cultures in most parts of the world, including Central America and South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Eighty percent of the world's nations eat insects of 1,000 to 2,000 species. FAO has registered some 1,900 edible insects and estimates that there were, in 2005, some two billion insect consumers worldwide. FAO suggests eating insects as a possible solution to environmental degradation caused by livestock production.

In some societies, primarily western nations, entomophagy is uncommon or taboo.

(1985). 9780673390134, Little Brown & Co.. ISBN 9780673390134

(1989). 9780813307428, Westview Press. . ISBN 9780813307428

(1991). 9781863730570, Allen & Unwin. ISBN 9781863730570

David George Gordon (1998). 9780898159776, Ten Speed Press. ISBN 9780898159776

Charles B. Wilson (2025). 9781503079649, CreateSpace. ISBN 9781503079649

Today, insect eating is uncommon in North America and Europe, but insects remain a popular food elsewhere, and some companies are trying to introduce insects as food into . A recent analysis of Google Trends data showed that people in Japan have become increasingly interested in entomophagy since 2013.

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See also

• Insects as feed
• Human interactions with insects
• Insects in medicine
• Insects as food
• Taboo food and drink

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Further reading

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External links

• Edible insects: Future prospects for food and feed security
• Risk profile related to production and consumption of insects as food and feed European Food Safety Authority 2015

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