How to safely forage, cook and eat cicadas

Deep-fried cicadas plated on fresh grape leaves. Photo: Courtesy of Natasha O'Brien

I've intentionally eaten a lot of bugs over the years, but I hadn't chomped cicadas until this month.

Why it matters: As eco-conscious eaters seek more sustainable sources of protein , the already-global practice of entomophagy (insect eating) offers a prime if somewhat creepy option.

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Driving the news: This year's dual-brood emergence may be the perfect time to try them.

• We recently interviewed two insect experts at The Hideout to learn the best way to greet and eat the bugs.
• Trillions of them are expected across 16 states over the next few weeks.
• Some cicadas are already appearing in Southern states, Axios Des Moines reports.

Threat level: My daughter recently urged me to skip the bug feast based on articles about a fungal disease turning 10% of this year's brood into "hyper sexual zombie cicadas ."

• Concerned the bugs might have the same effect on me, I emailed the scientist quoted in the story, West Virginia University forest pathology professor Matt Kasson, to ask if it was OK to eat just a few.
• "Yes," he replied, "as long as they are thoroughly cleaned and cooked, the risk of getting sick is super low."
• Yesss!

Cicadas that I found under logs in Walking Stick Woods on the Northwest Side. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

Dig in: Since the critters haven't officially emerged here yet , I recently foraged six young wingless nymphs from under forest logs and popped them into a yogurt container.

• At home, I washed the bugs and stored them in the freezer.
• The next day, I parboiled them to make sure they were super cooked and then deep fried them with our experts at The Hideout.

The verdict: TBH, they mostly tasted like crunchy exoskeleton, but with a delightfully nutty, shrimpy, tender center.

Cicadas get a quick parboil before heading to the Axios live show. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

What's next: The Field Museum spring lineup includes several cicada-related events , such as insect-pinning classes, a public art project, talks with scientists and a bug-inspired meal at Big Star.