From insects to tacos
On the last day of Greg Sword’s Insects and Human Society course, students got a taste of entomology — literally.
Sword, Ph.D., Regents Professor and Charles R. Parencia Chair in Cotton Entomology in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology, decided to ditch the traditional lecture format and serve up something unique for his students: tacos with a crunch —– courtesy of grasshoppers and mealworms.
Donning a crisp, white chef’s toque, Sword transformed the classroom into an adventurous culinary experience. Students lined up, some eager and others a little hesitant, to assemble their tacos. The spread included all the traditional toppings — tortillas, diced onion, cilantro, salsa and lime — with the unconventional additions stealing the show.
Sword made sure to lead by example. Taking an enormous bite of his insect-laden taco, he paused for effect, mealworms visibly protruding from his mouth, and said, “Delicioso!”
Reactions among students ranged from excitement to cautious curiosity.
Keegan Nichols, a Ph.D. student and teaching assistant for Sword, offered his own take on the grasshopper-eating experience. “The wings are the hardest part,” he said.
The class ended not just with a lesson in entomology but also with an unforgettable encounter with one of the world’s most sustainable protein sources.
To learn more about insects as food, visit https://www.insectcenter.org/.
