“Provides a sturdy literary exoskeleton to the field of human insectivory . . . it entertains as it enlightens.” — Daniella Martin, author of Edible: An Adventure into the World of Eating Insects and the Last Great Hope to Save the Planet

Will eating insects change the world for the better?

Meet the beetles: there are millions and millions of them and many fewer of the rest of us — mammals, birds, and reptiles. Since before recorded history, humans have eaten insects. While many get squeamish at the idea, entomophagy — people eating insects — is a possible way to ensure a sustainable and secure food supply for the eight billion of us on the planet.

Once seen as the great enemy of human civilization, destroying our crops and spreading plagues, we now see insects as marvelous pollinators of our food crops and a potential source of commercial food supply. From upscale restaurants where black ants garnish raw salmon to grubs as pub snacks in Paris and Tokyo, from backyard cricket farming to high-tech businesses, Eat the Beetles! weaves these cultural, ecological, and evolutionary narratives to provide an accessible and humorous exploration of entomophagy.

“Waltner-Toews punctuates this serious subject with his quirky humor . . . Eat the Beetles! is an essential part of a growing buzz.” — Toronto Star

“An excellent read for those interested in multiple perspectives on the issue of entomophagy, digging deep into science and math with flair and irreverence.” — Scene Magazine

“When it comes to the future of insects as food for humans and livestock, Waltner-Toews walks the line between skepticism and optimism in an intelligent, witty, and provocative analysis.” — Jeffrey A. Lockwood, author of The Infested Mind

“Full of humor and science, this edible insect book is definitely a must-read!” —EntoMove Project

David Waltner-Toews is a veterinary epidemiologist and university professor emeritus at the University of Guelph. He was founding president of Veterinarians without Borders / Vétérinaires sans Frontières – Canada and a founding member of Communities of Practice for Ecosystem Approaches to Health in Canada. In 2010 the International Association for Ecology and Health presented him with the inaugural award for contributions to ecosystem approaches to health, and in 2019 he received an award from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association recognizing “veterinarians who have exhibited exceptional acts of valour and commitment in the face of adversity to service the community.”

Besides being an author of many scholarly books and articles, he has published six books of poetry, a collection of recipes and dramatic monologues, a collection of short stories, two novels and various books of popular science including On Pandemics: Deadly Diseases from Bubonic Plague to Coronavirus; The Origin of Feces: What Excrement Tells Us About Evolution, Ecology and a Sustainable Society; Eat the Beetles: An Exploration into our Conflicted Relationship with Insects and Food, Sex and Salmonella: Why Our Food Is Making Us Sick. His nonfiction books have won awards in the US and Canada, and have been published in Japanese, French, Chinese and Arabic.

David Waltner-Toews' profile page

“Waltner-Toews punctuates this serious subject with his quirky humour … Eat the Beetles! is an essential part of a growing buzz​.” — Toronto Star

“Eat the Beetles provides a sturdy literary exoskeleton to the field of human insectivory. An in-depth look at the science behind the movement, it entertains as it enlightens.” — Daniella Martin, author of Edible: An Adventure into the World of Eating Insects and the Last Great Hope to Save the Planet

“When it comes to the future of insects as food for humans and livestock, Waltner-Toews walks the line between skepticism and optimism in an intelligent, witty, and provocative analysis that should be a model for any clear-headed discussion of non-traditional solutions to the world’s problems.” — Jeff Lockwood, author of The Infested Mind: Why Humans Fear, Loathe and Love Insects and Poisoned Justice

“This will inform and fascinate readers of food history, gastronomy, epidemiology, and ecology, as we begin to understand more about the lives of insects and the important roles they play in our society.” — Booklist

“While Eat the Beetles! covers serious topics, including the world’s food scarcity issues, it’s also entertaining, with amusing stories and thoughtful reflection.” — University of Guelph News