Insects as survival food - how useful the critters can be

If you find yourself, whether you want to or not, in a genuine survival situation, then it is only a matter of time before your stomach starts to complain, given the numerous exertions and influences that are bombarding you. A constant intake of food is an absolute must in our comparatively energy-saving urban everyday life, so that our body is prepared for the many challenges. How important must the search for and intake of food be when you have to assert yourself in unusually physically and mentally stressful scenarios ? Insects are something very special in a survival situation, even if they do not make a tasty impression on most of us at first. Where you search in vain for fruit and vegetables in the cold season and animals are often difficult to kill, insects are constantly present in very high numbers across all locations. WOLFGANGS has summarized some useful information about the little critters for you and shows why, in addition to plant-based emergency food , insects are also excellent as survival food.

Other countries are already doing it

Insects are on the daily menu of around 2 billion people on our planet. These people are by no means all in survival situations; rather, they have adopted the useful nutrients of insects completely voluntarily because they know how much energy the small creatures can provide.

You won't find any feeling of disgust or reticence in these parts of the world, as this type of eating has been part of everyday life for far too long. Insects have no special status, but are included in the " normal " category, just as we would if we were to reach for an apple.

If you find yourself in a survival or emergency situation , you should always keep in mind that there are up to 1,900 species of insects worldwide that can be used as a source of food. Try to put aside the disgust and refusal and instead see this form of food procurement as a gift that will reliably help you survive the survival scenario.

nutrients and proteins in abundance

Hunting animals in a survival situation can be a strenuous affair. Many of these hunting actions are not rewarded in the end, so that the personal situation can even get worse due to the high loss of energy . Since effective hunting equipment is usually not available in such situations, many attempts quickly fizzle out, so that in the end only an exhausted hunter is left behind.

The search for insects is relatively uncomplicated, time-saving and not at all dangerous. The ratio of effort required to nutrient or protein yield is gigantic. Many insects have such a high animal protein content that the values ​​can be roughly compared to those of beef. If you take the cricket as an example, you will quickly notice what a worthwhile source of food an insect is.

While the protein content of beef is just 60 percent, this small and often underestimated creature has a remarkable 65 percent. Added to this are proteins, fiber, minerals, vitamins and even fats. As you can see, insects can give you a real energy boost in no time. At the same time, the time-saving procurement ensures that you can quickly concentrate on other tasks that are vital to survival.

Insects as food - quickly and easily found in nature

In a survival situation, you often have the feeling that time is ticking against you. If difficult weather conditions, impassable terrain, or even dangerous animals could become an additional threat, you want to at least get the point of finding food out of the way quickly. Insects are worth their weight in gold in such a situation, as the search is very easy.

Insects can be found in almost all habitats. Whether you look for them on the ground or on or in bodies of water, you will usually find them after a short time. In the forest, for example, it is a great idea to look under tree trunks or bark , as the dead wood is an ideal habitat for them.

Since the insects not only feed on the wood and bark, but also use the inside of the tree as a nesting hole, you can assume that you will find a sumptuous feast upon closer inspection. Larvae, mosquitoes and flies quickly bring new energy into the body.

Try to pay attention to small cracks and crevices in living trees, as many beetles hide in these places. Larger mounds of earth can also be very worthwhile, as ants are also extremely useful as a quick source of food . It is also a good idea to go foraging after a rain shower, as many of the little critters cool off in the cool water and come out of their hiding places.

How do I recognize insects that are not suitable for consumption

Since the enormous number of poisonous insects cannot be discussed in detail in one article, it is better to keep your head above water in a survival situation by following basic behavioral patterns and keeping them in mind. In most cases, these behavioral patterns are completely sufficient to be able to distinguish poisonous from non-poisonous specimens.

Try to avoid eating insects that secrete liquids in dangerous situations or that are covered in a shimmering film. These secretions are usually only released by the crawling creatures when they need to protect themselves from predators, which in turn suggests that the liquid is poisonous .

Brightly colored, brightly colored or generally very colorful insects are often an indication that the species is not suitable for consumption. Numerous studies show that colorful insects are more often poisonous. Although these also appear among the more neutrally colored insects, the number is negligible in direct comparison.

Try to be cautious with ants at first and observe the insects before categorizing them as food during survival. Although most of the ants found in our region are not poisonous, many tend to bite when danger approaches. Depending on which species you see, these bites can be very painful.

In other parts of the world, the poison released can also become a threat. If in doubt, do not risk your health, but rather look for an alternative source.