University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
As Covid-19 restrictions lifted in 2021 and people began to resume their normal lives again, Brood X periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.) also joined the excitement. The emergence of Brood X after being underground for almost 17 years combined with the emergence of the general public after being ‘confined’ indoors for about 15 months molded into interesting interactions. One of the most interesting results of this interaction was the unexpected widely popular interest in entomophagy – in this case, consumption of cicadas by humans. This interest provided a wonderful opportunity to educate the general public about entomophagy and its importance throughout the world. Because Brood X emerged across 14 states, these educational opportunities were broadly available. In fact, cicada cooking and cicada consumption were broadcast on national television shows (such as CNN and HLN), reaching a national audience! At the University of Tennessee, we demonstrated cicada cooking using multiple recipes to several television stations, newspapers, and radio stations. These recordings and publications were viewed by thousands of people across multiple states. One video recording also was featured on CNN and HLN. By showing their use in hors d'oeuvres, main entrees, and desserts, the general public was able to better understand how they could incorporate cicadas into food items on their dinner table. As entomologists, we understand entomophagy; however, the general public does not. Brood X provided an opportunity to lessen the knowledge gap. This presentation will describe our activities in Tennessee to expand knowledge about entomophagy using Brood X periodical cicadas.
