Termites are small insects that live in colonies and feed on wood. They can be very destructive pests, but they are also a good source of nutrition in some parts of the world. If you were in a survival situation with no other food available, could you eat termites to stay alive? Let’s take a closer look at what termites are, the nutritional value they provide, and the pros and cons of eating them in a survival situation.
What Are Termites?
Termites belong to the taxonomic order Isoptera. There are over 2,800 known termite species, with new ones being discovered every year. Termites live in large colonies that can contain millions of individuals. Within the colony there is a caste system, with different termites responsible for reproduction, defense, and labor.
Some of the most common termite species include:
| Species | Region |
|---|---|
| Subterranean termites | Common in North America, live underground |
| Drywood termites | Live in dry, sound wood |
| Dampwood termites | Live in damp wood |
| Conehead termites | Live in tropical and subtropical regions |
Termites feed on cellulose material like wood, leaf litter, soil, and grasses. Their digestive systems contain symbiotic protozoa and bacteria that help break down the cellulose.
Nutritional Value of Termites
Despite their small size, termites are surprisingly high in nutrients. Here is an overview of the nutritional value of termites:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | Up to 60% protein by dry weight |
| Fat | High in unsaturated fats like oleic acid |
| Carbs | Around 25% carbs by dry weight |
| Fiber | High in chitin as a fiber source |
| Vitamins/Minerals | High in iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, copper |
As you can see, termites provide a good source of essential macronutrients like protein, fat, and carbohydrates. They also supply important micronutrients including several vitamins and minerals.
The protein content of some termite species rivals that of soybeans, with up to 60% protein by dry weight. The protein is complete, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids.
Termites are also high in iron, calcium, and zinc – minerals that are important for things like oxygen transport, bone health, and immune function. Their chitin exoskeleton is a good source of fiber as well.
So while termites may not sound very appetizing, their nutrient content could actually help sustain you in an emergency situation.
Benefits of Eating Termites
Here are some of the main benefits that make termites a viable food source in survival situations:
Highly Nutritious
As discussed above, termites contain significant amounts of protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals. This makes them an excellent stand-in for normal food if you have no other options. The nutritional value could help you get the calories and nutrients you need to sustain energy levels.
Readily Available
Termites are found on every continent except Antarctica. This makes them one of the most widely available insects worldwide. In a survival situation, finding a termite mound could provide a convenient source of food. Areas with fallen logs, stumps, and dead trees are prime spots to look.
Don’t Carry Disease Risk
Most insects eaten by humans pose little disease risk when cooked properly. Termites, ants, crickets, and some caterpillars fall into this “safe” category. This makes them safer to eat than insects like flies or cockroaches that are more likely to transmit bacteria, viruses, or parasites. As long as they are cooked thoroughly, termites present minimal disease risk.
Easy to Collect
The worker and soldier castes of termites are easy to dig up in mounds or rotting wood. Their softer bodies also mean termites can be eaten whole, unlike some hard-shelled insects. No specialized preparation or cooking is required beyond roasting them over a fire or boiling in water to kill pathogens.
Plentiful Numbers
A single termite colony can contain millions of individuals. This means collecting an adequate number for a meal is simple once a mound is located. Just dig in and scoop some up! Their small size also means you can eat a lot of termites to boost calorie intake.
Self-Replicating Food Source
As long as the termite queen and reproductive castes are unharmed, collecting worker termites for food will not damage the colony’s future growth. The remaining termites will continue breeding and the colony can be returned to once your food stores run low again. This makes termites a renewable survival food if used responsibly.
Risks and Drawbacks of Eating Termites
While termites might look like an appealing survival food, there are also some risks and drawbacks to consider:
Possible Allergic Reaction
As with any new food, there is always the chance you could have an allergic reaction. It is impossible to know if you have a termite allergy until eating some. Start with just a small amount to test your reaction. Signs of an allergy include itching, swelling, hives, upset stomach, and breathing difficulties.
May Cause Choking/Injury
The hard body parts and legs of termites could potentially injure your mouth, throat, or digestive tract if swallowed whole. Chew them thoroughly to reduce this risk. Their spiny legs may also cause discomfort when eaten.
Unappealing Taste and Texture
While packed with nutrition, termites are not known for their delicious flavor or texture. Their earthy, bitter taste takes some getting used to. Their crunchiness and spiny legs only add to the unappealing mouthfeel. Most people would not eat termites by choice. Hunger is the best seasoning if termites are your only option.
Need to Be Cooked Properly
Raw termites can harbor intestinal parasites and pathogens like viruses, bacteria, or fungi. Cook termites thoroughly by boiling, roasting over a fire, or frying to kill anything dangerous. Consuming raw termites introduces avoidable illness risk.
Labor Intensive to Collect
It takes time and effort to dig up termite mounds and extract enough termites for a meal. The more people you need to feed, the more termites you will have to collect. Since nutritional content is relatively low per termite, gathering enough to satisfy your hunger demands substantial time and labor.
May Deplete Termite Colonies
Over-harvesting termites for food could damage their colonies. Like any survival food source, they must only be collected in a sustainable manner. Know when enough is enough and leave the rest to rebuild their numbers. Otherwise, you may deprive yourself of future meals.
Key Takeaways on Eating Termites
Here are the key points to remember when considering termites as a survival food:
Highly Nutritious But Unpleasant Taste
Termites provide good nutritional value, but have an unpleasant taste and texture most people would avoid under normal circumstances. Hunger makes them more palatable.
Cook Thoroughly to Avoid Illness
Always cook termites completely before eating to kill off parasites, bacteria, or other pathogens. Consuming them raw poses unnecessary health risks.
Monitor for Allergic Reactions
Pay attention after eating the first batch of termites. Discontinue if any concerning allergic reaction symptoms appear.
Drink Clean Water to Aid Digestion
Their hard chitinous shells can be difficult to digest. Drink clean water, if available, to aid digestion and nutrient absorption.
Collect Sustainably from Multiple Colonies
Rotate harvests between several mounds to avoid overtaxing any single termite colony. This ensures their continued availability.
Can You Survive on Termites Alone?
While termites can provide sustenance, they should not be your only food source in a survival situation if other options are available. Here are some reasons why:
Low in Calories
The small size of termites means you would need to eat a huge volume to meet your daily calorie needs. This is feasible, but quite labor intensive.
Lack of Vitamin C
Termites are low in Vitamin C and some other nutrients. Lack of Vitamin C can cause scurvy over time. Need other food sources to balance nutrients.
Missing Fats and Vitamins
Your body needs more than just protein, carbs, and minerals. Health also relies on adequate healthy fats and diverse vitamins. An all-termite diet does not provide complete nutrition.
Monotonous Food Fatigue
The thought of eating only termites every day could easily become unappetizing over time. Food fatigue and boredom with their flavor may set in.
Gut Discomfort
Too many chitinous termite exoskeletons could cause constipation or discomfort over time. Their sharp spiny legs may also irritate the digestive tract.
Not Sustainable Long-Term
Continued overharvesting of a single food source is never sustainable. Try to vary your survival menu to protect the continued availability of any one food.
So while termites can be a lifesaving food source in the short term, they are likely not sustainable as a sole long-term survival food. Seek out other options like plants, fruits, berries, nuts, fish, birds, and mammals to vary your wilderness diet.
Termite Preparation and Cooking Methods
If eating termites, use the following preparation and cooking methods to make them safer and potentially more palatable:
Boiling
Bring water to a rolling boil. Drop live termites into the water and boil for at least 1 full minute. This ensures any bacteria, viruses, or parasites are killed. Their soft bodies will burst and can then be eaten.
Roasting
Thread termites onto a skewer or place them in a cooking pan. Roast over an open fire, turning frequently until crispy. Roasting brings out more flavor in the termites.
Frying
Place termites into a heated pan with a bit of oil. Fry them over medium heat, stirring frequently until they become crispy. Add seasonings like salt and pepper to boost flavor.
Mixing with Other Foods
Try chopping boiled termites up finely and mixing them with foraged greens, tubers, or seasonings. The combined flavors can help balance their earthy taste. Form the mixture into protein balls or patties.
Grinding into Powder/Paste
Dry roasted termites can be ground into a fine powder using rocks or other primitive tools. Mix the powder into water to form an energy-dense paste. Swallow chunks of the paste to boost calories.
Fermenting
Try placing termites into a sealed birch bark or wooden container for 1-2 weeks along with water. This ferments them, creating acids that help break down their hard bits while also boosting nutritious compounds like B vitamins. They become softer and easier to digest.
Finding Termites for Food
Here are some tips for locating termites if you need an emergency food source:
Look for Mounds
Scan open grasslands and forests for large termite mounds sticking up from the earth. Their conical or dome shape is a dead giveaway. Knock open the hard outer surface to get at the termites inside.
Search in Rotting Logs
Lifting open rotting, damp logs often reveals active termite colonies underneath. Pull apart their tunnels and galleries inside to uncover worker termites which can be collected.
Inspect Dead Trees or Tree Stumps
Dead and dying trees often harbor termite colonies boring through the wood. Check for holes or tunnels in the dead wood, then break them open to find termites feasting within.
Follow Flying Swarms
After rain, termites may swarm to reproduce. Look for clouds of flying termites emerging from the ground in large mating swarms. Following them often leads back to the main colony site.
Spot Shelter Tubes
Termites build earthen shelter tubes up the sides of structures to reach wood sources. Knock these down to uncover the active colony inside.
Observe Worker Termites
Where there are a few worker termites gathering food, more are sure to be close by. Follow them to locate the central colony.
Is it Legal to Eat Termites?
In most countries, there are no laws prohibiting the consumption of termites or other insects. So yes, eating termites is legal from an official law standpoint. However, there are some other legality considerations to keep in mind:
No Collecting on Private Land
You could face trespassing charges or fines for digging up termite mounds or rotting logs on someone’s private property without permission. Stick to collecting on public lands.
No Transporting Live Termites
While eating termites is legal, transporting live colonies intentionally could violate local laws against moving known pests and invasive species. This depends on your location.
Review Local Pesticide Usage
Avoid collecting termites in agricultural areas where pesticide use is common. Consuming termites filled with toxins could make you ill. Seek wild remote locations instead.
Sustainability and Damage Concerns
Even on public land, wanton overharvesting or damage to natural resources may require permits or be prohibited. Practice sustainable collecting to avoid legal issues.
Scope Out the Area First
To avoid any potential legal gray areas regarding collecting wild termites, scout the location in advance to know the laws and owners before foraging for food.
Final Verdict: Viable Survival Food Under the Right Conditions
Termites can make a nutritious survival food in a dire emergency scenario with no other options available. Their protein content in particular helps sustain energy levels. However, they are far from an ideal long-term survival food.
Here are some final recommendations on eating termites if faced with starvation:
– Cook them thoroughly before eating to prevent illness. Roasting, boiling, and frying all work well.
– Start slowly and monitor for any allergic reaction before consuming more.
– Drink clean water to aid digestion of their hard shell bits.
– Harvest termites sustainably from multiple locations rather than wiping out any one colony.
– Combine termites with other wild edibles like plants, fruits, and nuts when possible for balanced nutrition.
– Avoid eating termites from areas with intensive pesticide use.
– Be aware of legal considerations like trespassing and ecological protection laws.
While less than appetizing to most, termites can plausibly keep you alive in a survival situation when other options are lacking. Their nutritional content provides needed calories and macro/micronutrients to sustain you short term until more varied food is available. With some creativity and preparation, termites can serve as a viable emergency food source in a true survival scenario.