Most insects are edible

THE practice of eating insects is called entomophagy .Most insects are edible. According to www.eatbug.com, there are 1,462 recorded species of edible insects. And they're quite nutritious. For instance,100 grams of cricket contains only 121 calories, less than half of that found in beef. A cricket contains only 5.5 grams of fat, compared to 21.2g in beef. 100g of cricket contains 5.1g of carbohydrates, 75.8 mg calcium, 185.3 mg phosphorous, 9.5 mg iron, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin.

• Butterflies get their name from the yellow brimstone butterfly of Europe that is first seen in the early spring or "butter" season. Butterflies and moths are found on all land masses except Antarctica. Female Queen Alexandra butterflies, from Papua and New Guinea, are the largest in the world, some with wingspans larger than 26 cm. The atlas moth, one of the largest silk moths, can be mistaken for a medium-sized bat when flying.

• Only female mosquitoes are bloodsuckers. The males feed on nectar and ripe fruit.

• Ladybugs, or Ladybird Beetles as they are properly identified, are considered "beneficial insects" because they prey on aphids, mites, scale insects, and other insects that can harm plants or crops. There are more than 300,000 species of beetles, making them the largest order of insects in the world. The metallic-coloured wing covers of some beetles are used for jewellery.

• Grasshoppers can jump 40 times the length of their body.

• Living scorpions reflect ultraviolet light and can glow with an eerie greenish colour when exposed to UV light.

— Compiled by Gaurav Sood