What is "entomophagy"

n. The eating of insects.

Entomophagy (, from Greek ἔντομον éntomon, "insect", and φᾰγεῖν phagein, "to eat") is the human consumption of insects as food: human insectivory. The eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults of certain insect species have been eaten by humans from prehistoric times to the present day.

Human insect-eating is common to cultures in most parts of the world, including North, Central, and South America; and Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Over 1,000 species of insects are known to be eaten in 80% of the world's nations. The total number of ethnic groups recorded to practice entomophagy is around 3,000. However, in some societies insect-eating is uncommon or even taboo. Today insect eating is rare in the developed world, but insects remain a popular food in many developing regions of Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. There are some companies that are trying to introduce insects into Western diets. FAO has registered some 1900 edible insect species and estimates there were in 2005 some 2 billion insect consumers world-wide. They also suggest entomophagy should be considered as a solution to environmental pollution.