Boing Boing Staging

Giant cicada wants to be friends

This is, to put it mildly, a much larger cicada than I am accustomed to. Most likely, judging from the video and Wikipedia, you’re looking at a Malaysian Empress Cicada—a species that can have a wingspan of 8 inches.

Apparently, they (and other species of cicada) make a delightful, low-fat snack.

Cicadas spend most of their lives underground sucking sap from tree roots. The plant-based diet gives them a green, asparagus-like flavor, especially when eaten raw or boiled, according to Kritsky.

Aspiring cicada gourmands should begin by collecting the raw ingredients.

The insects are best eaten just after the nymphs break open their skins but before their exoskeletons turn black and hard, cicada aficionados say. These newly hatched cicadas are called tenerals.

If tenerals are unavailable, the next best menu item is adult females—their bellies are fat and full of nutritious eggs.

Video Link

Thanks, Antinous!

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