Cindy did some digging around when she read my giant wood moth post, and she unearthed some grubs. Turns out that giant wood moths are the winged form of the Australian witchetty grub (great band name!).
Just to remind you of what a giant wood moth looks like, here's one that has just emerged from it's cocoon. Simply enormous.
Photo by Christa Smiles
And, as you might expect, the grub gigantic too.
Photo by bignev72
Why, you ask, is it on a tray? Because it's about to be eaten. They are also supposedly tasty. I don't usually get the chance to east massive grubs, not embedded deep inside the heart of tame Northern California as I am, but if I ever do, I'll let you know how it goes.
May 10, 2009
Witchetty Grub
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15 comments:
The moth is beautiful, but the grub kicks up my US-born bias against eating insects. Kinda churned my stomach with this one, RW, and that's not easy to do.
I'm glad, Jessica. It's...what I do.
Normally the only bugs that I have problems with is spiders. don't usually have any problem handling the various worms, caterpillars and grubs that I find in our CA backyard, but that would completely freak me out. And eating it?! I imagine that it would be rather pus like.
The grubs are a protein staple for Aboriginies. Thrown on the camp fire then eaten, aparrently they taste like chicken, but then again - what doesn't!!!
Tracy, I don't remember where/who told me this, and it could be completely wrong, but I once heard a theory that the way meat tastes is partially dictated by what the animal eats. There are many holes in this theory, but if the grub eats the same thing as chicken...
On a trip to the Peruvian rainforest, the local guide brought in some grubs about half the size of that one pictured. He proceeded to roast them and then offered one to me. To uphold the honor of the US, I took one. I don't really remember the flavor, but I do remember the consistency as beeing very chewy. After a few seconds which seemed like hours I decided I had better swallow it or I was going to throw it up instead.
I did it, but that was it for me. I was so glad that my tour of Aborigine lands in Northern Australia did not include a Witchetty tasting.
Dave, I'd like to think that I would do the same, but I can't be sure. Regardless, thanks for representing the USA so well.
There needs to be a selection for AWESOME! for your posts.
That moth rules.
Do you ever think about Prawns [Shrimps to our US friends] and what they eat [and look like]? And you recoil at eating a Witchetty grub?
Imagine if MacDonalds had this kind of tucker on the menu. Grub burger comin' up- [want flies with that]?
La Pew
Wasn't there a scene in Crocodile Dundee involving eating said grub? I was just a little girl at the time, but I think Mr. Hogan dared the reporter lady to eat it.
Yuck... the moth looks great, but grubs just freak me out to no end. Specially beatle grubs... Nasty gross pulsating wormy... yuck yuck yuck!
Actually the Witchetty Grub does not taste like chicken it's sorta in the family of hard boiled Eggs, and Potatoes and that depend on how long you BBQ them for too, they are pretty good, I'm an Aussie, (not Aboriginal either)But i have spent enough time in Armen Land to know this. and the the Perente Lizard is great.lol
Sweet as and yes they do taste a bit like chicken =)
ps: nice moth
Interesting blog. I was looking for info on the Witchetty grub for a kid's magazine article - the moth is wild-looking! Closest I came to eating them was in a soup-chopped up. Safe. On our farm in Vic., they'd pop out of the wood thrown on the open fire. I imagine they came to a grizzly end but they didn't make to the tea table - as far as I know.
I say Bear Grylls eat one of these.
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