Comments on: Eating Ants

Question: Eating Ants

vacapinta — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 00:51:53 -0800

Are there hygiene problems with eating ants? I ask because I accidentally ate a bunch of ants that were in a box of cereal. I've now thrown out the box and I am not really grossed out by it but it did get me wondering, given that ants live in dirt and carry around pieces of dead insects as part of their chores, whether there are health consequences.

By: trondant

trondant — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 01:20:33 -0800

I'm not an expert, but I wouldn't think it any more dangerous than eating a potato or carrot without washing it first. If you're feeling adventurous, try a recipe.

By: pemulis

pemulis — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 01:29:57 -0800

Or, read the book.

By: mrbill

mrbill — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 01:46:51 -0800

mmm, protein.

By: taz

taz — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 04:25:29 -0800

in Soviet Russia ant eats YOU!!

... okay, now that I got that off my chest... eatbug.com says we eats ants and other bugs all the time, so there is probably little to worry about. According to this site, though, it may depend on what kind of ants they were:

The Garden Ant is a nuisance because of its foraging habit but it does not carry germs or spread disease. Garden Ants are attracted to sugary food; the presence of ants in food although unpleasant does not, in itself, constitute a health risk. Pharaoh's Ants are of greater significance as they carry harmful germs which they pick up when feeding on decomposing food, faecal matter and when coming into contact with drains and hospital dressings. They are a particular problem in hospitals and are difficult to eradicate.

Did they taste like garden ants? or pharaoh's ants?

By: CunningLinguist

CunningLinguist — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 04:43:08 -0800

You realize you are now and forever going to be nicknamed The Anteater, right? Sounds like a really eclectic mob name.

By: vacapinta

vacapinta — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 04:49:52 -0800

I guess I should add, truthfully, that I didnt really throw away the box of cereal. I guess I can think of them as tiny raisins. Oh, and they are probably not pharaoh's ants since I live nowhere near a UK hospital. Phew.

By: konolia

konolia — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 06:31:15 -0800

Must not have been fire ants, or we'd be recommending Benadryl.

By: iconomy

iconomy — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 07:03:05 -0800

When I lived in NYC, it was very early morning, almost still dark out, and I didn't want to turn the light in the kitchen on because there was a guy I had never seen before sleeping on the sofa a few feet away - some stray prospective bf picked up by my roomie, no doubt. I grabbed a box of cereal off of the shelf, and poured some into a bowl, added some milk, started eating, and thought to myself, hmmm I don't remember this cereal having raisins in it...

Then the raisins started to move.

Yeah, I was eating cockroaches. Kinda salty. Kinda crunchy. After running into the bathroom for about half an hour of dry heaves and hysterical crying, I realized that I was going to live. I think you will too, vacapinta ;)

By: thomcatspike

thomcatspike — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 07:19:17 -0800

that ants live in dirt
Ants are the oldest pharmacist a round. They naturaly make anti-bodies.

By: adrober

adrober — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 08:35:54 -0800

I was just in Costa Rica (don't ask) and encountered a poisonous tree frog (don't ask). The tourguide said: "The poisonous tree frog gets its venom from its steady diet of ants. If you take a poisonous tree frog away from ants it is no longer poisonous."

My point? You are now venomous. Don't bite anyone.

By: th3ph17

th3ph17 — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 10:51:45 -0800

that is why i always look at my food. How did this happen vacapinta? Tell us the story.

By: orange swan

orange swan — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 10:53:36 -0800

Have these ants been exposed to any insecticides?

Here in Canada we have a Poison Control hotline we can call whenever we eat something we probably shouldn't have, and they'll tell you if it was toxic or not, and what to do. Do you have anything like that in the U.K.?

By: Blue Stone

Blue Stone — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 11:11:42 -0800

A little bit of dirt is good for you. Keeps your immune system healthy, and up to speed.