What happens if I eat weevils?

Table of Contents

Quick Answer

Eating a small number of weevils is unlikely to cause any serious harm, but eating large quantities could potentially cause digestive upset or allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Weevils do not generally carry diseases that can infect humans. However, it’s still best to avoid consuming them, as they provide very little nutritional value.

What are weevils?

Weevils are a type of beetle that feed on various grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. There are over 60,000 species of weevils worldwide. Some of the most common types include:

Rice weevils – Feed on rice, wheat, corn, oats, barley, rye, sorghum, and other grains

Granary weevils – Feed on stored grains like wheat, barley, rice, corn, oats, and rye
Bean/pea weevils – Feed on dried beans and peas
Acorn weevils – Feed on acorns and other nuts

Boll weevils – Feed on cotton buds and seeds

Weevils are very small, usually between 2-6 mm in length. They have long snouts and antennae. Most species have hard outer shells that are reddish-brown, black, or gray in color. Weevils can infest pantries and damage grains and seeds by feeding and laying eggs inside them.

Are weevils dangerous?

Weevils do not generally pose any health risks to humans. Here are some key points about the risks of consuming weevils:

Weevils do not spread diseases – There are no diseases that can be transmitted to humans by eating weevils.
No venom or toxins – Weevils do not produce venom or toxins that are harmful if ingested.
May cause allergies – Some people may have allergic reactions to eating insects like weevils. Symptoms could include hives, itching, swelling, and difficulty breathing.

Indigestible outer shells – The hard outer shells of weevils can be difficult to digest and could potentially cause choking or intestinal blockages if large quantities are eaten.
May bite – Mouthparts of some weevils could potentially bite the tongue, mouth, or throat if eaten alive, but this is very unlikely.
Contamination risk – Weevils and their larvae live in close contact with grains, seeds, and beans that may be contaminated with pesticides, mold, or bacteria.

So while weevils themselves are not inherently dangerous, there are some risks associated with eating them. But overall, the risks are relatively low, especially if only 1-2 weevils are accidentally ingested.

What happens if you eat weevils?

Here’s an overview of the likely effects of eating weevils:

1-2 weevils

Eating just 1 or 2 weevils either on purpose or by accident is unlikely to cause any adverse health effects in most people. The hard shells would likely pass through the digestive system without being broken down. A few small weevils here and there blended into food likely won’t even be noticed when eaten.

Handful of weevils

If you eat a handful of weevils in a single sitting, you may start to notice some unpleasant effects. For example:

Crunchy or gritty texture – The hard shells and legs would be noticeable and provide an unappealing crunchy texture.
Strange taste – Weevils give off defensive chemicals that can produce a bitter, unpleasant taste.

Gastrointestinal issues – A large amount of undigested shells could potentially cause some stomach pain, cramps, or nausea in sensitive people.
Allergic reaction – Those with shellfish or insect allergies could react to the proteins in weevils.

These effects would likely be temporary and not life-threatening. The shells would pass through the digestive system within a couple days. Allergic reactions could be treated with antihistamines.

Very large quantities

Eating extremely large numbers of live weevils could potentially cause more serious problems:

Intestinal blockages or tears – Hundreds or thousands of sharp weevil shells may obstruct intestines or puncture the digestive tract wall if not chewed thoroughly.
Choking hazard – Gulping down live weevils without chewing could lead some to get lodged in the throat and choke someone.

Malnutrition – Extremely large amounts eaten frequently could displace other more nutritious foods in the diet.
Toxic contamination – Very large quantities may increase risks related to bacteria, mold, pesticides, or other contaminants weevils carry.

However, these risks mainly come into play if someone is intentionally eating spoonfuls of live weevils at a time. Accidentally consuming a few weevils here and there is very unlikely to cause these severe issues.

Do weevils provide any nutritional value?

Weevils are not a good source of nutrients for humans. Here’s an overview of the nutritional value of weevils:

High in protein – Dried weevils are about 60% protein. But they have less essential amino acids than animal products.
Low in fat – Weevils contain only about 3-7% fat.

Low in carbs – Weevils are only about 15% carbohydrates by dry weight.
No vitamins or minerals – Weevils contain almost no vitamins or dietary minerals. There are trace amounts of calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
Indigestible shells – Much of a weevil’s weight comes from the non-digestible chitin in their shells. So the usable food content is low.

While insects like weevils are sometimes consumed as a protein source in some cultures, they do not provide a well-balanced nutritional profile for humans. There are no demonstrated health benefits to purposefully eating weevils. Given their hard shell and bland flavor, most people consider weevils to be a non-food item.

Can you eat weevils safely?

It’s not recommended to purposefully eat live weevils. Here are some key reasons why:

No nutritional value – Weevils provide very little in terms of helpful vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, or fiber.

Difficult to digest – The hard outer shells are tough to chew and break down during digestion.
Unpleasant taste – Weevils give off bitter-tasting chemicals that deter predators from eating them.
Contamination risks – Weevils feed on grains and seeds that may contain harmful substances like pesticides, mold, or bacteria.

Choking hazard – Live weevils could potentially be accidentally inhaled or get lodged in the throat if swallowed.

While not toxic, weevils have no benefits as food. Given the above drawbacks, it’s best to avoid purposely eating significant quantities of weevils. Accidentally ingesting a few with contaminated grains likely won’t cause issues for most people. But Blending large amounts into meals is not recommended from a health or culinary standpoint.

What if my food is infested with weevils?

Pantry items like rice, flour, oats, beans, and nuts can sometimes become infested with live weevils. Here’s what to do if you find weevils in your food:

Discard heavily infested items – Foods crawling with live weevils should be thrown away.
Sift and inspect – Sift through grain items and look for weevils. Pick them out and discard any infested portions.
Freeze to kill – Putting grains or nuts in the freezer for 2-7 days can kill any weevil eggs or larvae.

Cook thoroughly – Heating infested products to temperatures above 130°F kills weevils.
Use sealed containers – Storing susceptible items in airtight containers helps prevent re-infestation.

With careful inspection, sifting, freezing, cooking, and storage, infested foods can be made safe to eat if thorough measures are taken to destroy and remove all weevils present. However, if an item is heavily infested, it may be safest to throw it away altogether. Carefully following this process can allow you to eliminate weevils from contaminated foods.

Are store-bought foods infested?

Weevils can sometimes infest packaged and processed foods purchased at the grocery store. However, this is relatively uncommon due to strict food manufacturing and inspection processes:

Drying and roasting – Commercial processing techniques like heating, drying, and roasting often kill any potential weevils.
Screening – Food companies frequently sift and sort grains to screen for defects and remove weevils.

Fumigation – Grains and beans are sometimes fumigated with pesticides prior to packaging to kill weevils.
Packaging – Airtight packaging helps keep new weevils from infesting processed products.
Refrigeration – Keeping products chilled prevents weevils from multiplying if any eggs are present.

Monitoring – Food facilities monitor for weevils and other pests through regular inspections.

With these rigorous controls in place at food production facilities, weevils rarely make it into packaged foods sold at retail stores. However, it can occasionally happen, especially if packaging becomes compromised. Checking products for signs of infestation is always a good idea. But overall, store-bought foods have a very low risk of containing live weevils. Proper storage and monitoring at home can further reduce any slim chances.

Do weevils carry diseases?

There are no human diseases directly transmitted by weevils. Here are some key facts about weevils and disease risks:

No direct transmission – Weevils do not spread any contagious illnesses that can infect humans.
Germs from feces – Weevil feces may contain bacteria like E. coli that could cause food poisoning. But this risk is mainly from cross-contamination, not direct transmission.
Foodborne illness – Eating weevil-infested products could potentially expose people to toxins from mold or bacteria. But the weevils themselves don’t produce the toxins.

Allergies – In rare cases, people can have allergic reactions to weevil proteins. But weevils don’t cause the allergies.
Parasites – Some weevils carry micro-parasites that can’t infect humans. Their main parasites are other insect species.

So while weevils don’t spread any contagious diseases, they can contaminate food with germs and substances that make humans sick. Their feces, physical damage to food, and the microbes they transmit indirectly could cause illness. But the weevils themselves don’t make people sick – only the bacteria, toxins, and allergens they expose humans to through contaminated food.

Do other insects or bugs carry diseases?

Some other insects and bugs can directly transmit diseases to humans:

Mosquitos

Malaria
Dengue fever

Yellow fever
Zika virus
West Nile virus

Fleas

Plague
Typhus
Bartonellosis (cat scratch disease)

Kissing bugs

Chagas disease

Ticks

Lyme disease
Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Babesiosis
Ehrlichiosis

Lice

Typhus

Trench fever

So while weevils don’t spread disease, many other insects and arthropods can directly transmit a variety of viral, bacterial, and parasitic illnesses through bites or contact. However, good hygiene and avoiding contact can reduce risk of infectious diseases from these bugs.

Can you eat weevils raw?

Weevils can be eaten raw, but cooking them is recommended to kill bacteria and make them safer to eat. Here are some points on eating raw vs cooked weevils:

Cooking kills microbes – Heating weevils to over 130°F kills potentially harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli from their gut contents.
Cooking neutralizes toxins – Compounds in some raw weevils produce a bitter taste, which cooking can help remove.
Boiling softens shells – The hard outer shell and legs can be softened by boiling to make weevils easier to chew and digest.

Safer for allergy – Cooking may destroy some allergenic proteins in weevils that could trigger reactions in sensitive people.
Raw has more nutrition – Some vitamins and proteins may be lost when cooking. But weevils have limited nutrients anyway.
Easier to digest raw – The shells of raw weevils can pass through more intact to potentially aid elimination.

Overall, cooking improves the palatability and safety of weevils. But some cultures do traditionally eat raw weevils as a viable protein source. If you have a healthy gut and a tolerance for adventurous eating, eating a few raw weevils is not inherently dangerous. But cooking them is generally recommended.

Can you breed and farm weevils?

It is possible to intentionally breed and farm weevils at home as a source of protein for human consumption. Here are some key pointers on farming weevils:

Easy to breed – Weevils can produce 200-400 eggs in a lifetime and multiply rapidly given abundant food sources.

Require grain food – Can be reared on wheat, rice, corn, oats and other grain foods in captivity.
Need air circulation – Enclosures need small air holes to prevent buildup of waste gases like carbon dioxide.
Substrate for pupation – A substrate like flour or wheat bran is needed for larvae to burrow into to pupate.

Containment – Tight-sealing enclosures are needed to prevent excess escape and infestation.
Moisture control – The substrate should be kept moist but not soggy. Low humidity encourages pupation.
Temperature around 70°F – Warmer temperatures speed up breeding. Cooler slows it down.

With optimized conditions, food, and habitats, it’s certainly possible to intentionally raise weevils. However, most people still find them unappealing as a protein source. And they provide limited nutrition compared to traditional livestock with higher fat and nutrients. But as a novelty food source, some may find the process of farming weevils interesting.

Conclusion

Accidentally eating a few weevils will likely cause no issues for most people. But intentionally eating lots of weevils or weevil-infested foods is not recommended. At best, they provide very minimal nutritional value. And at worst, they could cause allergic reactions, gastrointestinal issues, or even choke someone if swallowed live in large quantities. But brief contact or eating a couple weevils here and there is harmless for anyone not sensitive to them. With precautions to control infestations, weevils in food can be avoided. And there are no health benefits to purposefully eating significant amounts of weevils. While breeding and farming weevils is possible, it’s an uncommon practice and they don’t provide a good staple food source. Overall, it’s best to minimize contact with and consumption of weevils as much as possible.