Biologically, insects (from Latin insectum) are hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and a pair of antennae. Insects are the most diverse group of animals, with more than a million described species; they represent more than half of all animal species.

Its estimated that around 5% of Europeans have consumed insects in some form or other. And, that, despite cultural reticence maybe 50% would be willing to try them. Insects should be one of the protein sources of the future. They are much more efficient at converting their food into protein. For the most efficient species they can convert 2kg of food into 1kg of insect protein. In contrast, they require 12 times less feed than cattle, 4 times less feed than sheep, and half as much feed as pigs and broiler chickens to produce the same amount of protein. They have a much higher fecundity level than conventional livestock, often producing more than one generation in a single season. They are mostly omnivorous, and could therefore be reared on various organic waste streams.

Insects are consumed as food in 80% of the world's nations, by people in roughly 3,000 ethnic groups. In Africa, locally abundant species of locusts and termites are a common traditional human food source. Some, especially deep-fried cicadas, are considered to be delicacies. Insects have a high protein content for their mass, and some authors suggest their potential as a major source of protein in human nutrition. In most first-world countries, however, entomophagy (the eating of insects), is taboo. They are also recommended by armed forces as a survival food for troops in adversity. Because of the abundance of insects and a worldwide concern of food shortages, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations considers that people throughout the world may have to eat insects as a food staple. Insects are noted for their nutrients, having a high content of protein, minerals and fats and are already regularly eaten by one-third of the world's population.

The collection of edible insects considered to be pests can contribute to reduced use of insecticides. Insects can also be reared, as they are in Thailand and they do not require land clearing to expand production (this can be done in industrial units).

The most commonly consumed insects globally are reported to be beetles (Coleoptera) (31%), caterpillars (Lepidoptera) (18%) and bees, wasps and ants (Hymenoptera) (14%), followed by grasshoppers, locusts and crickets (Orthoptera) (13%), cicadas, leafhoppers, planthoppers, scale insects and true bugs (Hemiptera) (10%), termites (Isoptera) (3%), dragonflies (Odonata) (3%), flies (Diptera) (2%) and other orders (5%). Though they are actually crustaceans (relatives of crabs and prawns) being land animals, woodlice are often conflated with edible insects. I have included them in the list of recipes below for that reason, but I am making the conflation clear here.

Unlike crustaceans, insects are much more variable in terms of flavour. For example, crickets taste like nuts, with a little smoky aftertaste; mealworms resemble smoked bacon, and ants have a distinctly lemony tang. Having eaten various insects, arachnids and arthropods around the world, I understand the potential importance of insects as a protein source. As a result I am starting to make a collection of insect-based recipes available on these pages.

The alphabetical list of all the insect-based recipes on this site follows, (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 14 recipes in total:

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Chitoumou      Origin: Burkina Faso	Inswa (Boiled Termite Snack)      Origin: Zambia	Potted Woodlice      Origin: Britain
Cricket and Two-bean Chili      Origin: Fusion	Kai chutney (Red Weaver Ant Chutney)      Origin: India	Salade complète au chitoumou (Salad of Whole Chitoumou)      Origin: Burkina Faso
Curried Tempura Grasshoppers      Origin: Fusion	Lal Chiti (Red Weaver Ant Curry)      Origin: India	Scrambled Eggs with Woodlice      Origin: Britain
Fried White Ants      Origin: Malawi	Madora (Mapone Worm Curry)      Origin: Zimbabwe	Zambian Mopane Worms Relish      Origin: Zambia
Goan-style Mealworm and Chickpea Curry      Origin: Fusion	Mopane Worms and Sorghum Porridge      Origin: Botswana

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