Insects are considered the most underutilized food source for humans, a notable fact when one considers growing human populations. They also provide far more protein per pound of consumed vegetation than livestock.īringing home a meal of insects may not have the bragging rights associated with procuring a large animal, but it is still worth your while. A handful of crickets pales in comparison to the big bull elk that most people are looking for on the mountains in September, but they also don’t require camping equipment, bows, camo, calls, or licenses. In fact, they require no specialized equipment at all to harvest. So harvest them we did. Weigh the investment of energy to procure them versus the energy obtained. In fact, accounts indicate that Indigenous people had no qualms about consuming Mormon crickets. They were even a regular staple in the seasonal diet of the Utes ( Nuutsiu) in what is now Utah.īy now, most readers (and even seasoned outdoorspeople) will be cringing. Why even bother trying to eat insects? The answer lies in the concept of optimal foraging. I’m certainly not the first person to wonder what they taste like. Shop Our State Tees > Crickets Make Easy Pickings They’re big, with adult females measuring two inches or more.

Mormon crickets ( Anabrus simplex) are members of the katydid family. They occupy portions of the West from the Dakotas to the coast but are especially common in parts of Utah, Nevada, and Idaho. Charlie picked one up and marveled at the long antennae and terrifying but harmless ovipositor on the end of its abdomen. We had only taken a few steps into the meadow before we noticed the ground was alive. Grasshoppers sprung out of our way at every step. Amongst them, dark, wingless insects scurried for the nearest sagebrush. The tops of the mountains were white with the first snow, but the meadow parklands were warm in the bright sunshine. Elk hunters were setting up camps along the meadow edges, gearing up for the big annual hunt. My son, Charlie, and I hiked through the late summer grass. Jump to Recipe Print Recipe A simple recipe turns Mormon crickets into a tasty treat The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Crickets