0:00:06 > 0:00:11The ancient temples of Angkor Wat, Cambodia.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15'Wake at dawn to experience the serenity of the sunrise
0:00:15 > 0:00:17'and you'll quickly discover you're not alone.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21'The place is crawling with bugs.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25'But what might seem like disgusting pests to you and me
0:00:25 > 0:00:29'are what many in this region would call lunch.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36'With 40 tons of insects to every human on the planet,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38'are we in the West ignoring
0:00:38 > 0:00:41'one of the world's great untapped resources?'
0:00:41 > 0:00:43That is huge!
0:00:43 > 0:00:46'I'm Stefan Gates and I'm fascinated by the prejudices we all have
0:00:46 > 0:00:50'about what's acceptable to eat and what's not.'
0:00:50 > 0:00:54That little girl is tiny and she's got a massive plate of insects!
0:00:54 > 0:00:58'Because here, hungry children are taking huge risks
0:00:58 > 0:01:00'for a plate of extraordinary food.'
0:01:00 > 0:01:02He's putting his finger into a tarantula nest
0:01:02 > 0:01:04to check that it's at home.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07'I want to know if these little creatures might just hold the answer
0:01:07 > 0:01:10'to the survival of our species.'
0:01:10 > 0:01:12There's clearly a huge future for this.
0:01:12 > 0:01:13Ow!
0:01:13 > 0:01:16'I've come to find out if eating insects can save the world.'
0:01:29 > 0:01:33I've just landed in Bangkok, Thailand,
0:01:33 > 0:01:35which, as any entomologist will tell you,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38is the bug-eating capital of the world.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53'Insect eating is completely normal here,
0:01:53 > 0:01:57'so I've always wondered why the rest of us, including myself,
0:01:57 > 0:01:59'find it so difficult to swallow.'
0:01:59 > 0:02:03About ten years ago, I picked up this book in a second-hand bookshop
0:02:03 > 0:02:07and I grabbed it and I thought, "That looks bizarre."
0:02:07 > 0:02:10It's called, Why Not Eat Insects?
0:02:10 > 0:02:13And it was first published in 1885.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16Now, there are lots of reasons why people don't want to eat insects.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21People think they're dirty, revolting. But why not?
0:02:21 > 0:02:24If you take away those cultural sensitivities, if it's a food,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27if it's delicious, if you can put yourself into somebody else's culture
0:02:27 > 0:02:29and really taste the things they taste
0:02:29 > 0:02:33and understand why they eat the things they eat, why not?
0:02:38 > 0:02:42'I hit the streets looking for dinner and I quickly discover
0:02:42 > 0:02:45'that, when it comes to foods that we in the West find shocking,
0:02:45 > 0:02:46'Thailand has it all.'
0:02:47 > 0:02:50I'm trying to guess what half these things are here.
0:02:50 > 0:02:51There's duck tongue's there,
0:02:51 > 0:02:53all sorts of fish, lots of catfish.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01This is an entire stall of guts.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04There's a little bit of throat there, some liver.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06The smells are brilliant.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14Intestine soup, sounds disgusting, smells like heaven.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16'But I'm not here for intestine soup.
0:03:16 > 0:03:17'I head further into the market
0:03:17 > 0:03:20'searching for what I've come all this way to eat.'
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Insect sellers first came to this street
0:03:31 > 0:03:35to cater for country girls working here as prostitutes.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38But they quickly realised they could make extra money
0:03:38 > 0:03:40selling to curious tourists.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43They're so savvy they even charge to take a snapshot.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57And would you eat them when you go back home or was it just something you'd do for fun out here?
0:03:57 > 0:04:00- No, when I turned 25, we all ate grasshoppers.- She'd do it again.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02I wouldn't choose them as a snack.
0:04:02 > 0:04:03THEY LAUGH
0:04:03 > 0:04:06'I pride myself on being adventurous with food,
0:04:06 > 0:04:08'so I prepare to tuck in.'
0:04:08 > 0:04:09- Wow.- Which ones you like?
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Which ones are the best ones?
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Silkworms? OK, can I have some silkworms?
0:04:15 > 0:04:16OK.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18And maybe a scorpion.
0:04:21 > 0:04:22HE LAUGHS
0:04:22 > 0:04:24I've never been asked that question before in my life.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27- It's very difficult to find. - I'll have a big one.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29- Wow!- For one, yes.- That's expensive.
0:04:31 > 0:04:32Can I buy one of these?
0:04:32 > 0:04:34How much is a water bug?
0:04:37 > 0:04:38HE LAUGHS
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- I'm happy to pay your prices, that's fine.- Thank you very much.
0:04:41 > 0:04:42So, you pull the head off?
0:04:46 > 0:04:47OK.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52I guess it's a little bit like eating a prawn,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56it's got a shell on the outside, should be the same sort of thing.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59- Uh-huh.- OK, let's see.
0:05:00 > 0:05:01A little bit new.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13- Oh!- Inside, you know. - I feel so lucky.
0:05:20 > 0:05:21You've got to come look at this,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24it's full of a green slop.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Which is the eggs, it's full of eggs.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34I was feeling happy about it until, until you told me about that.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36- Thank you, good night. - You're welcome.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41I'm still trying to chew that water bug, it was utterly,
0:05:41 > 0:05:43utterly inedible.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45It feels like that's a bit of a gimmick
0:05:45 > 0:05:48rather than any realistic food source.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52'So my first attempt at eating insects in Thailand
0:05:52 > 0:05:54'isn't a great success.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57'Overcoming my prejudice is tougher that I thought,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00'and digesting that bug is proving even harder.'
0:06:03 > 0:06:06With the taste of water bug still lingering the next morning,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08I head off for my first appointment.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15'Here, at the Food And Agriculture Organisation at the United Nations,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18'they're working hard to make insects an acceptable food source
0:06:18 > 0:06:20'all over the world.'
0:06:23 > 0:06:27I've come to meet Patrick Durst, the champion of the bug-eating movement.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32I have some insects here you might want to take a look at.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Some that are just from the locally available vendors.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39They don't look any more pleasant after they've been cooked, do they?
0:06:39 > 0:06:42- Well, kind of depends on what you get used to.- Yeah, absolutely.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45I don't think that shrimp are particularly appetising
0:06:45 > 0:06:47when you first look at them either.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50And lobster is pretty ugly, isn't it? Let's be honest.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52I got introduced to eating insects
0:06:52 > 0:06:54when I first came to Thailand more than 20 years ago
0:06:54 > 0:06:56and I tried them as a snack at that time,
0:06:56 > 0:06:59I enjoyed it and I've been eating ever since.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04It's good food, first of all, very nutritious, high in protein,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06they reproduce very quickly,
0:07:06 > 0:07:10they produce a lot of body mass quickly, for the food they eat.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14Compared to beef, insects are about 20 times more efficient.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18So the challenge is to feed the rising number of people,
0:07:18 > 0:07:22we'll have more than nine billion people on the planet by 2050.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26'As population increases, so does the demand for resources.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30'Meat production relies on large amounts of grain and water,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33'so finding an alternative source of protein is crucial.'
0:07:33 > 0:07:36So could insects save the planet from a food crisis?
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Certainly, part of the food solution.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43Here in Thailand, we have, it's one, one of the countries in the world
0:07:43 > 0:07:45where there's an increasing number of people eating insects.
0:07:45 > 0:07:50There was no cricket farming industry in Thailand 25 years ago,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53it's all evolved in the last 20 years
0:07:53 > 0:07:58and now, it's producing tons and tons of insects...of crickets every day.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02- And why here in South East Asia are insects so popular?- Uh...
0:08:04 > 0:08:05Tastes good.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07THEY LAUGH
0:08:07 > 0:08:10- I mean, you're a fan, aren't you? - I always like the crickets.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14'Patrick's breakfast of crickets, grasshoppers and silk worms
0:08:14 > 0:08:17'is a lot more appetising than last night's water bug.'
0:08:17 > 0:08:18That's pretty good.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22'I've been finding it hard enough to tackle my own food prejudices,
0:08:22 > 0:08:26'but I notice that Kari, my director, is looking squeamish.'
0:08:26 > 0:08:28You're not eating too fast here, Kari.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31The thing about the crickets is,
0:08:31 > 0:08:33they do look like they're... Oh!
0:08:33 > 0:08:35THEY LAUGH
0:08:35 > 0:08:38'It might be a bit childish to start flicking crickets.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40'But if we look beyond our disgust,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42'we might realise we've been ignoring a food
0:08:42 > 0:08:45'that could just possibly change the world.'
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Two billion people already eat insects as part of their diet.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55There are over 1,900 thriving edible species
0:08:55 > 0:08:58and even though they far outnumber humans,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01insects have a tiny carbon footprint.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05They need little water and produce few greenhouse gases.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08They're cold blooded, so they don't waste energy keeping warm
0:09:08 > 0:09:12and they produce protein while eating very little food.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15So if they could help solve the world's food crisis
0:09:15 > 0:09:17and save the environment,
0:09:17 > 0:09:21surely we should all put our cultural prejudices to one side
0:09:21 > 0:09:23and embrace the joys of eating insects.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27'If only it was that easy.'
0:09:29 > 0:09:32I still haven't quite got over my first bout of insect eating.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35I've got an incredibly sore throat
0:09:35 > 0:09:38and I'm sort of blaming it on the giant water bug
0:09:38 > 0:09:41which ripped my oesophagus as it went down.
0:09:41 > 0:09:42HE LAUGHS
0:09:42 > 0:09:45But now, I'm heading out to the North East of Thailand,
0:09:45 > 0:09:46to a region called Isan
0:09:46 > 0:09:49and this area should be very interesting
0:09:49 > 0:09:53because it's where insect eating is supposed to be incredibly popular.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00I'm heading to Klong Manao Primary School,
0:10:00 > 0:10:02nestled amongst the rice fields and coconut trees
0:10:02 > 0:10:05in one of Thailand's poorest regions.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Eating habits are formed from a young age,
0:10:08 > 0:10:10'so perhaps these kids hold the answer
0:10:10 > 0:10:13'as to why some cultures have no problem eating insects
0:10:13 > 0:10:16'as part of their diet.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18'I've been invited by their Head Mistress, Mrs Noi,
0:10:18 > 0:10:20'to help her cook today's lunch.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23'I think you can guess what's on the menu.'
0:10:25 > 0:10:26So it's lunch time,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29what are you going to be cooking for the children today?
0:10:32 > 0:10:33And what are they?
0:10:35 > 0:10:38You would never in a million years serve this to,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40to the kids in my kids' school.
0:10:42 > 0:10:43It's quite a graphic little thing.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46It's, it's quite wet inside there, if you,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49if you squeeze the abdomen,
0:10:49 > 0:10:51it's quite squidgy... Urgh!
0:10:52 > 0:10:55And did you or the children collect these?
0:10:56 > 0:10:58The students pick these?
0:11:02 > 0:11:05'So every evening, as well as doing their homework,
0:11:05 > 0:11:09'students also have to catch next day's lunch.'
0:11:09 > 0:11:11How come they're dead?
0:11:18 > 0:11:20You look so sweet and yet, you're so cruel.
0:11:22 > 0:11:23'Happy for an extra hand,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26'Mrs Noi puts me to work.'
0:11:26 > 0:11:29The attractive hat look.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Do the children work well after eating a lunch of bugs?
0:11:38 > 0:11:43So that goo there, is that all...eggs of the cricket?
0:11:43 > 0:11:46'Oh, good. More eggs.'
0:11:46 > 0:11:49It just makes me want to vomit.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52I, I just about got into the idea of eating crickets,
0:11:52 > 0:11:57but now I see that it's full of these soft gooey eggs,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01I've regressed back into being pathetic and scared of them.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04'But it's hard to feel disgusted
0:12:04 > 0:12:07'when the students are all licking their lips in anticipation.'
0:12:15 > 0:12:20Wow, there's a really pungent meaty smell coming off them.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22I thought they would smell of something familiar,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25but they've got a smell all of their own.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28'Fragrant pandan leaves are added to the crickets.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31'Then, the heat of the frying creates an intense flavour
0:12:31 > 0:12:34'while killing off any potential bacteria.'
0:12:36 > 0:12:37It's definitely dead.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43They don't look any less scary once they've been cooked.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45They're still very much crickets.
0:12:49 > 0:12:50Oh, that's heavy soy sauce.
0:12:53 > 0:12:54Oh! Just a little bit then.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Oh! That is really nice.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03Really nice.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06It's like chicken-favoured crisps,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09quite salty. Wow, that's good, though.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18Something quite extraordinary is about to happen.
0:13:18 > 0:13:2480 kids are running over for a plate of insects.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27English kids, watch this and weep.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29These guys are seriously cool.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33OK. Is that the right amount?
0:13:33 > 0:13:35OK. Here we go.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38HE LAUGHS
0:13:38 > 0:13:41That little girl is tiny and she's got a massive plate of insects.
0:13:41 > 0:13:42OK.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00Lunch goes down a storm,
0:14:00 > 0:14:02and it's unlikely to be my genius in the kitchen.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06These kids have just grown up eating insects every day.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09There's not a hint of fear or squeamishness on display.
0:14:09 > 0:14:10Far from it.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14This is the most extraordinary thing of all,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17the ice-cream wagon has arrived, it's all over there,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20there's a huge queue of kids queuing up for it.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23But this guy here didn't want another plate of ice-cream,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27he went, in fact, both of them, went and got two more plates of crickets.
0:14:29 > 0:14:34Just can't get my head into a space where it's normal,
0:14:34 > 0:14:38but it couldn't get any more normal than this, it's lunchtime at school.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53I leave the school and head off to find the source
0:14:53 > 0:14:57of the millions of kilos of insects that the Thais eat every year.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03It turns out that bugs are so popular in Thailand
0:15:03 > 0:15:05they have to buy them from neighbouring countries.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07This isn't just a cottage industry -
0:15:07 > 0:15:10bugs here are big business.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13If there was any doubt as to the importance of the insect trade,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16this kind of tells the story, this is Poipet,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19it's the border with Cambodia, which is Thailand's much poorer neighbour.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22And every day, tens of thousands of people
0:15:22 > 0:15:24flood into Thailand for work,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27but also tons of insects are imported as well,
0:15:27 > 0:15:30because Thailand simply can't hunt or grow enough insects
0:15:30 > 0:15:32to supply its own demand.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38They're heading for one of the biggest insect markets in the country,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41right here on the border, Rong Glue market,
0:15:41 > 0:15:42the Billingsgate for bugs.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45It's here that dealers from all over Thailand
0:15:45 > 0:15:48come to buy and sell the freshest insects.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05All the stalls here are full of the most extraordinary foods.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07I've never seen these fellas before,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09these are kind of strange green bugs.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Lots of giant water beetles, some absolutely extraordinary things.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14But this isn't everything that's here,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17most of it is hidden away in these big cool boxes at the back here,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21they are absolutely jam-packed full of bags of bugs.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Extraordinary place,
0:16:23 > 0:16:25it smells a little bit like a fish market, I guess.
0:16:29 > 0:16:34This is a massive soup of ant eggs
0:16:34 > 0:16:37and they've thrown in lots of ice to keep them, to keep them cool,
0:16:37 > 0:16:44so they don't rot and over here are hundreds of kilos of red ants.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49Absolutely massive, these are worth a fortune.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51'The holy grail for insect lovers,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55'weaver ant pupae, or red ant eggs as they're called here,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58'are the most expensive bugs in Thailand.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00'I'm desperate to tuck in,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03'but I've barely started on my insect-eating journey
0:17:03 > 0:17:06'and I'm simply not ready to appreciate them.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09'Instead, my guide Jam takes me round the corner
0:17:09 > 0:17:14'to the town's legendary culinary hotspot run by Ms Lek.
0:17:14 > 0:17:19'She's so close to the market that her bugs are the freshest in town.'
0:17:19 > 0:17:22Her recipe is very special.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24She fry fresh insects,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27so that's why it tastes much, much better
0:17:27 > 0:17:28than the ones you have tried before.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32Do you think the ones I had were cooked hours or days before hand?
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- That's how normally it's cooked, you know, I bet you.- Yeah.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38And this one is going to be a totally new experience for you.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42To be honest, it couldn't be much worse, because they were,
0:17:42 > 0:17:44they were horrible.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- Ooh, do you know what? I can smell insects from here.- Oh, yes!
0:17:47 > 0:17:50I can smell that frying of protein.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53- Stefan. Ms Lek. - Very nice to meet you.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55THEY SPEAK IN THAI
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Everyone seems to have huge mounds of cooked insects,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01but you've only got some, a few left on each one.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04Is that because you keep selling them so fast?
0:18:04 > 0:18:07She's not going to cook too much, but cook and sell,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09cook and sell at the same time,
0:18:09 > 0:18:11- so the customer tastes the fresh insects.- Yeah.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15She said if they are not fresh, it will never ever taste good.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18'If the steady stream of hungry customers is anything to go by,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22'Ms Lek's is clearly the place to be.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26'And don't be fooled into thinking this is peasant food.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28'Jam tells me Ms Lek's bugs are so popular,
0:18:28 > 0:18:32'she can turn over £240 a day,
0:18:32 > 0:18:36'in a region where the average daily wage is just £12.'
0:18:36 > 0:18:38We're trying to interview her,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40but she's so busy, she's selling so many insects,
0:18:40 > 0:18:42that she keeps going, "Sorry!" and going off.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Cos everyone's buying stuff.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47People are coming past on their mopeds and stopping off here.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50This is a proper fast-moving industry.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52You're buying some insects,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55are you having them for your supper or as a snack?
0:18:56 > 0:18:58- It's like having it as sweets. - Yes, yes.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01So if I wanted to try and convince people from my country
0:19:01 > 0:19:04to eat more insects, what, what should I tell them?
0:19:06 > 0:19:07Good for your health?
0:19:09 > 0:19:10'The locals are clearly sold,
0:19:10 > 0:19:14'so it's time for me to take a deep breath and have another go.'
0:19:14 > 0:19:17So there's one insect that I tried that I thought was horrible.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21It didn't really taste of anything and Jam wanted me to try it again.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Do you have some water bugs, giant water bugs?
0:19:24 > 0:19:28'To my delight, she has a fresh batch waiting for the wok.'
0:19:28 > 0:19:29Oh, my gosh.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Are you keen on one? It's your last chance.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38- No, no, it's all for you.- OK.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41'Dipped in seasoned batter for extra flavour,
0:19:41 > 0:19:46'Ms Lek's fresh food guarantee isn't for the faint-hearted.'
0:19:50 > 0:19:54Wow, so these are the super fresh ones, wow,
0:19:54 > 0:19:55they're really plump, aren't they?
0:19:55 > 0:19:57This is the best for me,
0:19:57 > 0:20:01- because look how big it is. - It's big and fat and juicy.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04- Crunchy, munchy, you know you have to.- OK.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Some pepper, soya sauce there.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09Is that the gourmet preparation?
0:20:09 > 0:20:12So these are all the eggs inside here,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14underneath this massive film of pepper.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Oh...
0:20:26 > 0:20:28A heck of a lot of pepper.
0:20:28 > 0:20:29HE COUGHS
0:20:30 > 0:20:34And it has got a bizarre pistachio flavour, that's really weird.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Oh, you can see all the individual eggs there?
0:20:39 > 0:20:41You've got a beaut there.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43How do you feel about giant water bug now?
0:20:43 > 0:20:45Have you changed your mind a little bit?
0:20:45 > 0:20:48Yeah, I can see that they're not a gimmick just for tourists,
0:20:48 > 0:20:50which is what I was slightly worried about,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53cos you see these graphic things with big legs and big scary eyes
0:20:53 > 0:20:55and you think you're just doing that to scare people,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58but that is genuinely delicious, it's not the best food on the planet,
0:20:58 > 0:21:00it's not as good as the grasshoppers,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02but, yeah, that tastes pretty good,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04I'll give you that.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08'I'm hugely relieved to find some delicious insects,
0:21:08 > 0:21:13'but Ms Lek won't let us leave until we all have a taste.'
0:21:13 > 0:21:15It was part of the condition of us filming here,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18she said she wouldn't let us film unless I tried one.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20THEY LAUGH
0:21:20 > 0:21:23- OK, all right. No, wait, I think it's still...!- Stop it. Stop!
0:21:23 > 0:21:25THEY LAUGH
0:21:25 > 0:21:27It's hard enough the way it is.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31- I was just going to say, I think it might still be alive.- Stop it.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Once you have them in your mouth, it's completely fine.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42- And does it taste good?- Yeah.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43Give me a cuddle.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45'A breakthrough.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47'If even Kari can stomach a grasshopper,
0:21:47 > 0:21:49'there's hope for us all.'
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Once they're in your mouth, it's nice.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57The next morning, we cross the border into Cambodia.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08The stark contrast between the two countries is immediate.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Crippled by decades of war and genocide,
0:22:11 > 0:22:15Cambodia is still very much Thailand's poor neighbour.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22I'm travelling east, deep into the rice-growing region of Battambang.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25It's here that I have an appointment with a group of insect hunters
0:22:25 > 0:22:27part of a burgeoning industry
0:22:27 > 0:22:31feeding the insatiable appetite for insects in neighbouring Thailand.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Hi, I'm Stef and you're Saron, yeah?
0:22:40 > 0:22:41Am I not big enough for you?
0:22:44 > 0:22:46THEY LAUGH
0:22:46 > 0:22:48HE SPEAKS IN KHMER
0:22:48 > 0:22:50'In this part of Cambodia,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53'the rice paddies are infested with grasshoppers,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56'posing a major problem for farmers.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03'But rather than kill them with expensive pesticides,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06'Saron and his team scour the fields to hunt them down.'
0:23:12 > 0:23:14It's become so profitable,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Saron can earn an impressive income.
0:23:22 > 0:23:23MOBILE PHONE RINGS
0:23:23 > 0:23:24THEY LAUGH
0:23:27 > 0:23:30'Turns out, Saron is a bit of a wheeler-dealer.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33'He organises a network of local hunters.'
0:23:40 > 0:23:41HE CHUCKLES
0:23:44 > 0:23:47'But hunting grasshoppers isn't the easiest of jobs,
0:23:47 > 0:23:49'you can only catch them at night,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52'so we sit around waiting for the sun to set.
0:23:58 > 0:23:59'Saron tells me that some nights
0:23:59 > 0:24:02'there are so many hunters in the field,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05'their torches looks like another village on the horizon.'
0:24:07 > 0:24:09Oh, there's a cricket, is that any good?
0:24:11 > 0:24:13HE LAUGHS
0:24:13 > 0:24:14Argh, come here, come here.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Ah, so what's that?
0:24:20 > 0:24:24And which is more valuable the grasshopper or the cricket?
0:24:24 > 0:24:26So that's really what we're after?
0:24:26 > 0:24:29So at night they're quite calm and docile, then?
0:24:32 > 0:24:34OK.
0:24:34 > 0:24:35Ah, top man!
0:24:39 > 0:24:40Oh, no!
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Rubbish, rubbish.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49'For Saron, catching grasshoppers in a dark field at night
0:24:49 > 0:24:52'with his bare hands is second nature.'
0:24:52 > 0:24:54That is a whopper, look at the size of that!
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Look at that, that is huge.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07'But I'm struggling to find them without help.'
0:25:11 > 0:25:13I got it, I got it.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17They kick! They kick in your hand. They're really strong! Blimey!
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Ow! Something's biting me to shreds out here.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Having a light on your head is a double-edged sword,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32because, obviously, it's good for finding insects,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34it's really good for attracting them as well.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Oh, look! Oh, you're good at this.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Mind you, it is your job.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40THEY LAUGH
0:25:40 > 0:25:44Oh, look! I've got a few little fella's just jumping straight at me.
0:25:44 > 0:25:45Is that any good?
0:25:48 > 0:25:51It's dangerous. Oh, let's not then.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55'We may be hunting grasshoppers, but every other insect is hunting us.'
0:25:57 > 0:26:02You know what? People say that there are 40 tons of insects on the planet
0:26:02 > 0:26:05to every human and you kind of think, "Yeah, yeah, whatever.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08"It's one of those kind of things that's been made up in a lab somewhere."
0:26:08 > 0:26:11It's on a night like this, when you are just covered in the things,
0:26:11 > 0:26:15that you kind of think, "Oh, yeah, that's absolutely true."
0:26:15 > 0:26:16Aaah!
0:26:16 > 0:26:19'Finally, our cameraman Nik hands the camera to me
0:26:19 > 0:26:21'as the insect attack becomes unbearable.'
0:26:21 > 0:26:24He is a cloud of insects, because he's been holding the camera,
0:26:24 > 0:26:26he hasn't actually been able to actually let go.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29He's covered in the little beasts. How you doing there, Kari?
0:26:29 > 0:26:30Oh, my God!
0:26:30 > 0:26:32THEY LAUGH
0:26:32 > 0:26:35'But it looks like we're the only wimps in the field.'
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Oh, look at that, wow!
0:26:37 > 0:26:41'After a good night's hunt, the rest of the group returns triumphant.'
0:26:41 > 0:26:44Pretty cool, who's got the most?
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Oh, wow, look at that.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50OK, that is one heck of a bag of bugs.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Was that hard work?
0:26:56 > 0:26:57That's pretty good.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Oh, yeah.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04So look, that's how many I got, what do you think of that?
0:27:06 > 0:27:10I really thought I was getting to grips with this insect thing,
0:27:10 > 0:27:12but I have to say that was probably
0:27:12 > 0:27:15the most horrible experience of my entire life.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17THEY LAUGH
0:27:17 > 0:27:20But thank you very much, thank you very much. Thank you.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23'It might not be my idea of a good time,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26'but the truth is grasshopper hunting provides extra cash
0:27:26 > 0:27:29'in a region where work is hard to find.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38'Early the next morning, I head over to Saron's
0:27:38 > 0:27:40'and I'm met by a team of builders.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43'Saron has been doing so well through his grasshopper business
0:27:43 > 0:27:46'that this is literally the house that insects built.'
0:27:49 > 0:27:54Saron, good morning, good morning, how are you? You all right?
0:27:54 > 0:27:56So what happened to the insects from last night?
0:28:02 > 0:28:05'Waiting for us in the back is his bug dealer,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08'here to buy last night's catch.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11'In fact, grasshoppers are so profitable
0:28:11 > 0:28:14'that locals only eat insects as a special treat,
0:28:14 > 0:28:16'even though the area is infested.
0:28:19 > 0:28:24'It's clear that hunting grasshoppers is a win-win situation.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26'It protects local crops for the farmers
0:28:26 > 0:28:30'and gives Saron a profitable career that's transforming his life.'
0:28:30 > 0:28:34Oh, my word, look at that! Wow!
0:28:34 > 0:28:36It's a truck of bugs.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41How many kilos do you think you have here?
0:28:49 > 0:28:50Oh, look! It goes further down.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52Oh, my God!
0:28:52 > 0:28:58Wow, can't really see, but this, this thing's absolutely jam-packed.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01It's only when you see insects on this kind of scale
0:29:01 > 0:29:03that you realise a couple of things.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06First of all, how many insects have been taken out of the field
0:29:06 > 0:29:10that were feeding on vegetation and damaging crops.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13But also, it supports loads of people round here.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16He's been all round town picking up insects
0:29:16 > 0:29:19from lots and lots of people, who were all out last night,
0:29:19 > 0:29:23making a few, a few dollars, for their work.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25'Perhaps if eating insects caught on globally,
0:29:25 > 0:29:29'it could provide jobs to millions of Saron's all over the world.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32'If only we all wanted to eat them.'
0:29:40 > 0:29:44The trouble is, in the West, we're locked into old-fashioned notions
0:29:44 > 0:29:47about what we consider decent food.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49But at a local market in Cambodia,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52I'm reminded that eating meat isn't always pretty.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Whenever you visit markets around the world,
0:29:55 > 0:29:57this is the most graphic extraordinary part of the market,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59this is the meat section.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01And, if you think about it,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04in Britain, we eat strange and wonderful things,
0:30:04 > 0:30:06we eat hamburgers, we eat hot dogs,
0:30:06 > 0:30:08with lots of extraordinary ingredients.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11When you see them here, there's an eyeball right there,
0:30:11 > 0:30:14when you see them here, they feel really graphic,
0:30:14 > 0:30:17but we do eat all this kind of stuff.
0:30:17 > 0:30:18We're obsessed with protein.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21And when you think about it on that kind of level,
0:30:21 > 0:30:23insects are just another kind of protein.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36I travel deeper into Cambodia,
0:30:36 > 0:30:39to an area far from the thriving border markets of Thailand.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43Here, they catch bugs for a different reason -
0:30:43 > 0:30:44for survival.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52So far, all the insects that I've tried have been pretty small,
0:30:52 > 0:30:54they're quite insubstantial,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57you have to put a huge amount of effort in to collect a whole meal's worth.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01But there's one speciality that they have here in Cambodia,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04which isn't actually an insect but I would still call it a bug,
0:31:04 > 0:31:06and they're huge -
0:31:06 > 0:31:07tarantulas.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13The scariest, hairiest bug on the planet isn't feared here,
0:31:13 > 0:31:15it's devoured.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19In a region where 40% of children are malnourished,
0:31:19 > 0:31:24any animal that's full of protein and vitamins is a vital food.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30There's been little academic research
0:31:30 > 0:31:31into eating tarantulas in Cambodia,
0:31:31 > 0:31:35so I meet up with Chris Muenke from the University of Copenhagen.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40He's working on groundbreaking research
0:31:40 > 0:31:42into the health and economic benefits
0:31:42 > 0:31:45of eating this hairy spider.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47Cambodia has wide areas which are malnourished,
0:31:47 > 0:31:49especially the rural areas.
0:31:49 > 0:31:54Tarantulas can be a source of nutrients for these people.
0:31:54 > 0:31:59So people genuinely eat tarantulas as a, as a common food?
0:31:59 > 0:32:01You probably have to just step back a little bit
0:32:01 > 0:32:03and just see them as land crabs.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06We all eat crabs, we all eat shrimps, we all eat this other food.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09So spiders is just a different way of having a food source.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11It still will always be a little bit awkward,
0:32:11 > 0:32:14but it's nothing bad in particular.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18'Turns out, Chris is so enthusiastic about tarantulas
0:32:18 > 0:32:19'he's brought a few along with him.'
0:32:19 > 0:32:23- Oh, my gosh... - This is the deep fried version.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27- You can mostly buy them on the...as road side snacks.- Uh-huh.
0:32:27 > 0:32:28So can I eat this?
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Normally you can, but this one is already a day old,
0:32:31 > 0:32:34so maybe we should leave it for now and you try some later.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41I'm usually really interested in new foods,
0:32:41 > 0:32:45I've eaten pretty much the most gruesome things on the planet.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48This I don't really fancy.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50'I know it's ridiculous to be such a wimp,
0:32:50 > 0:32:54'especially when tarantulas are such a valuable food source.
0:32:56 > 0:33:01'My Cambodian guide Uttarack is convinced I can conquer my revulsion
0:33:01 > 0:33:03'if I can get up close and personal,
0:33:03 > 0:33:07'so he takes me to meet a group of renowned tarantula hunters.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09'But they're not what I was expecting.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11- Hello!- Hello.- Hello!
0:33:11 > 0:33:13Hello!
0:33:13 > 0:33:15HE SPEAKS IN KHMER
0:33:15 > 0:33:16Pleased to meet you.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19THEY LAUGH
0:33:19 > 0:33:20Very good.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23So are you guys the tarantula hunters in the village?
0:33:24 > 0:33:27OK, so what do we do first? How do we go about it?
0:33:27 > 0:33:30'Their parents work all day in the markets and fields,
0:33:30 > 0:33:32'so the boys have to fend for themselves.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36'If they're hungry, they take their spades and hunt down their lunch.'
0:33:36 > 0:33:38So how old are you, guys?
0:33:44 > 0:33:48'I'm shocked by how tiny these boys are for their age.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50'Malnutrition around here is so bad
0:33:50 > 0:33:53'that children's growth is often stunted,
0:33:53 > 0:33:56'making them look much younger than they really are.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00'If ever there was a reason to eat spiders, this would be it.'
0:34:00 > 0:34:01Wow, OK.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07'Tarantulas may be a good source of protein,
0:34:07 > 0:34:10'but they're feared for a reason.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14'Their bite can temporarily paralyse and even kill in extreme cases.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17'I've been warned to wear sturdy boots while we hunt,
0:34:17 > 0:34:20'but I notice the boys are mostly barefoot.'
0:34:25 > 0:34:29So this is a field where you're likely to find tarantulas.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33Which makes me feel a little bit tingly right from the start.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35It's basically a field full of hillocks.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38This sort of feels as though it's probably covered
0:34:38 > 0:34:40in thousands of little tarantula nests.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45Is this one? Is this one here?
0:34:48 > 0:34:51- No!- No?
0:34:51 > 0:34:52I'm rubbish...
0:35:02 > 0:35:05So you reckon that there's one sitting under there somewhere?
0:35:24 > 0:35:27He's putting his finger into a tarantula nest
0:35:27 > 0:35:29to check that it's at home.
0:35:29 > 0:35:30I...!
0:35:50 > 0:35:52So it's down there, just, just inside there.
0:36:00 > 0:36:01Oh! Oh, there he is.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08Oh, there we go, blimey! Wow, that's a big fella.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12That is a tarantula.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14They're very beautiful, aren't they?
0:36:14 > 0:36:18'They may be beautiful, but the fangs are extremely dangerous.
0:36:18 > 0:36:23'Tarantulas are so strong that they can hunt mice and birds.'
0:36:23 > 0:36:27And so, if you pick it up by the sides, is that much safer?
0:36:30 > 0:36:33So from where you're holding it now, he can't bite you?
0:36:48 > 0:36:52'The idea of having to pray at the ant hill isn't exactly reassuring.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55'But I'm amazed that they don't seem particularly bothered.'
0:36:55 > 0:36:57Do you think there are lots of people who are scared of them?
0:37:05 > 0:37:07Oh, my God, there he is!
0:37:13 > 0:37:14Hey! Ooh-hoo!
0:37:16 > 0:37:19It's like playing chicken but with poisonous massive spiders.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21HE CHUCKLES
0:37:21 > 0:37:22Wow! You guys are good.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31OK, I think it's my turn, can you show me how to do it?
0:37:36 > 0:37:37Oh, what about this one here?
0:37:40 > 0:37:42I found it, I found one.
0:37:42 > 0:37:43OK, so should I dig here?
0:37:51 > 0:37:53I'm just hacking away.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55There's no art to what I'm doing.
0:37:59 > 0:38:04I'm going to choose the deepest living tarantula in the world.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16So now I've got to get him to come out...
0:38:20 > 0:38:22Out you come, mister.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30This might be a two-stick job.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33OK, there is my tarantula,
0:38:33 > 0:38:35looking a little bit dusty
0:38:35 > 0:38:36and a little bit...
0:38:36 > 0:38:38THEY LAUGH
0:38:38 > 0:38:40A little bit the worse for wear.
0:38:40 > 0:38:41OK.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45So pick him up there?
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Yeah? Argh... Argh...
0:38:50 > 0:38:52Oh, God... Ay, ay, ay!
0:38:52 > 0:38:54I don't know, it's a spider,
0:38:54 > 0:38:55it doesn't want to be picked up.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Argh, it's quite soft, it's quite warm.
0:38:59 > 0:39:04There is, oh, God, my tarantula.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08Am I dripping with sweat?
0:39:08 > 0:39:09Because I feel like it.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13THEY LAUGH
0:39:13 > 0:39:15It doesn't seem like food to me.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18Does that make you feel hungry?
0:39:20 > 0:39:22Hungry, why?
0:39:24 > 0:39:26What does it taste of?
0:39:36 > 0:39:38Which is your favourite bit?
0:39:41 > 0:39:42Why is that?
0:39:45 > 0:39:49So I suppose I ought to get over this and see this as a food.
0:39:51 > 0:39:52THEY LAUGH
0:40:10 > 0:40:11THEY CHUCKLE
0:40:19 > 0:40:22'It's not surprising the boys are eager to get food on their plates.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26'This is their first proper meal of the day.'
0:40:32 > 0:40:34So what are you doing to them now?
0:40:47 > 0:40:49So these are just being grilled,
0:40:49 > 0:40:50straight on there, no oil,
0:40:50 > 0:40:53just salt, sugar and MSG,
0:40:53 > 0:40:55straight on the fire.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57How long do they take to cook?
0:41:09 > 0:41:11Which one's going to taste best?
0:41:16 > 0:41:19THEY LAUGH
0:41:19 > 0:41:21Is it time to eat?
0:41:21 > 0:41:22- Yum!- Yum!
0:41:27 > 0:41:30'Tarantula is pretty healthy meat.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33'In fact, it has ten times more zinc than beef,
0:41:33 > 0:41:37'it's a crucial nutrient for growing children.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40'As food is scarce, if they didn't eat these spiders,
0:41:40 > 0:41:44'they'd be lucky to get any protein in their diet at all.'
0:41:50 > 0:41:52Hey, that's good.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Umm!
0:41:57 > 0:41:58I like, I like it.
0:42:00 > 0:42:01HE SPEAKS IN KHMER
0:42:01 > 0:42:03Number one?
0:42:03 > 0:42:06I'm not sure if it's number one, but it is nice.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09It's meaty on the inside, like a, like a prawn
0:42:09 > 0:42:12or a crab has white meat inside it,
0:42:12 > 0:42:14but this actually has a proper flavour,
0:42:14 > 0:42:16whereas a lot of the insects I've tried,
0:42:16 > 0:42:19kind of just taste a little bit musty. That's pretty good.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23You guys are brilliant, thank you very much.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25HE LAUGHS
0:42:28 > 0:42:29You're bonkers!
0:42:40 > 0:42:43Tarantulas may be an unlikely super food,
0:42:43 > 0:42:46but there's one thing that worries me.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49While they're a source of protein for Cambodian children,
0:42:49 > 0:42:53there simply aren't enough of them to feed the world on their own.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56'So I'm heading back to Thailand
0:42:56 > 0:42:59'to see what the future really holds for edible bugs.'
0:42:59 > 0:43:02One of the most exciting ideas for insect eating
0:43:02 > 0:43:04and possibly for the future of the planet,
0:43:04 > 0:43:07is the whole idea of insect farming,
0:43:07 > 0:43:09cos if you can farm insects and grow them on a massive scale,
0:43:09 > 0:43:12you could solve some of the world's food problems.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15So I've come here to one of the region's biggest insect farms.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18It's a cricket farm and I'm intrigued,
0:43:18 > 0:43:21I have no idea how you would farm crickets.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24'My hunt for the future of insect eating brings me here.
0:43:25 > 0:43:29'But it turns out that farming insects doesn't have to be high tech
0:43:29 > 0:43:32'or even particularly hard work.'
0:43:32 > 0:43:34Hello, I'm Stefan.
0:43:34 > 0:43:38'I meet Mr and Mrs Panswan, who run one of 20,000 new cricket farms
0:43:38 > 0:43:41'that have recently sprung up all over Thailand,
0:43:41 > 0:43:43'pioneering mass insect production.'
0:43:43 > 0:43:45So how many crickets do you have here?
0:43:47 > 0:43:5010,000 crickets, in one go.
0:43:53 > 0:43:57'So just one of these tanks produces the equivalent amount of protein
0:43:57 > 0:43:59'to 700 Big Macs a year.
0:43:59 > 0:44:04'To produce so much protein in such a tiny space is exciting enough,
0:44:04 > 0:44:07'but also, unlike beef,
0:44:07 > 0:44:11'crickets only need a tiny amount of food and water to grow.
0:44:11 > 0:44:13'In a world where resources are becoming scarce,
0:44:13 > 0:44:15'this has huge potential.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21'My first stop is the maternity unit.
0:44:21 > 0:44:24'Unlike mammals, female crickets reproduce so quickly
0:44:24 > 0:44:27'one can have 100 babies in a month.'
0:44:29 > 0:44:34These tiny little flecks here are the cricket eggs.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37So how many cricket eggs do you think are in this tank?
0:44:39 > 0:44:40Wow!
0:44:40 > 0:44:42Argh!
0:44:42 > 0:44:44'Next, we come to the nursery.'
0:44:44 > 0:44:48Millions of baby crickets.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51Bizarrely, I think they're quite sweet.
0:44:51 > 0:44:53Why don't they escape?
0:44:59 > 0:45:01'So with the playpen safely guarded,
0:45:01 > 0:45:04'we move on to the teenage den.
0:45:04 > 0:45:06'They'll stay here for another month
0:45:06 > 0:45:08'until they're ready to be sold.'
0:45:08 > 0:45:10They begin to sing a little bit now.
0:45:17 > 0:45:21Look at this, I mean, they've all crawled
0:45:21 > 0:45:23to the top of this vegetation here,
0:45:23 > 0:45:25just tens of thousands of crickets.
0:45:27 > 0:45:31I don't know why, but I find it mesmerising just looking at them.
0:45:32 > 0:45:36The thing is having this many insects in one concentrated area
0:45:36 > 0:45:38is just...mind-blowing.
0:45:39 > 0:45:44'Mrs Panswan asks me to help harvest the next batch for market.'
0:45:47 > 0:45:49It's as simple as that.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53Just grab an egg crate and shake it.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55'And crickets aren't just eaten in Thailand.
0:45:55 > 0:45:57'Tons of them are frozen,
0:45:57 > 0:46:00'canned and exported to adventurous eaters all over the world.
0:46:00 > 0:46:05'It's a small export market at the moment, but the potential is vast.'
0:46:05 > 0:46:08Argh! Argh!
0:46:08 > 0:46:11THEY LAUGH
0:46:11 > 0:46:13OK, come on, Stefan.
0:46:13 > 0:46:20Only 45 days or so from egg to market, it's not bad going.
0:46:20 > 0:46:22There's clearly a huge future for this.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28I mean, this place sort of looks a little bit run down,
0:46:28 > 0:46:32it's not like a nice clean food factory you might get in the UK,
0:46:32 > 0:46:35but when you look inside all of those tanks,
0:46:35 > 0:46:40you know, there's, there's no animal welfare issues there, you know,
0:46:40 > 0:46:41it actually looks pretty good.
0:46:41 > 0:46:44They're producing a huge amount of protein
0:46:44 > 0:46:47on a, on a very short timescale.
0:46:47 > 0:46:51Compare this to chicken farming in the UK, that's not bad.
0:46:57 > 0:46:59For the final leg of my insect adventure,
0:46:59 > 0:47:02I'm now ready to experience one of the rarest events
0:47:02 > 0:47:04in the bug-eating world.
0:47:06 > 0:47:08It's the end of the dry season
0:47:08 > 0:47:12and locals here are dancing in the hope of bringing on the rain.
0:47:12 > 0:47:17But this is also the season for the red ant egg harvest.
0:47:18 > 0:47:22The red ants lay eggs which then turn into larvae,
0:47:22 > 0:47:26which is the insect equivalent of the finest caviar.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31'I head out of town with Mr Jhong, one of the best ant hunters around.
0:47:31 > 0:47:35'I'd been imagining a scenic drive deep into the bush
0:47:35 > 0:47:38'to find these rare insects and their nests,
0:47:38 > 0:47:40'so I'm a bit disappointed
0:47:40 > 0:47:42'when we pull up at the side of a road.'
0:47:42 > 0:47:44So we've arrived here, what do we need to do?
0:47:46 > 0:47:49'But if I'd thought catching them was simple,
0:47:49 > 0:47:50'I was in for a bit of a shock.'
0:47:50 > 0:47:52So not these? Why not these?
0:47:52 > 0:47:53Why not?
0:47:55 > 0:47:57Do they bite quite hard?
0:47:57 > 0:47:59Yep, yep.
0:47:59 > 0:48:00THEY LAUGH
0:48:00 > 0:48:02OK.
0:48:03 > 0:48:07'Ants make their nests on the branches of high trees.
0:48:07 > 0:48:09'Catching them is a bit of a challenge,
0:48:09 > 0:48:11'which explains the giant pole.'
0:48:12 > 0:48:15Living up there in the top of these tree,
0:48:15 > 0:48:17there are loads and loads of these nests around
0:48:17 > 0:48:21and they're full of the ants and the eggs.
0:48:21 > 0:48:23So what we've got is a big old stick,
0:48:23 > 0:48:25with a net on the end of it,
0:48:25 > 0:48:28we're going to jam the stick into the nest, waggle it about
0:48:28 > 0:48:31and, hopefully, as many as possible of those ants and the eggs
0:48:31 > 0:48:33will fall into the basket.
0:48:35 > 0:48:36Yeah?
0:48:36 > 0:48:39Ah, OK, I can see...
0:48:41 > 0:48:44Oh, yeah, there's masses in there.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46Whoa!
0:48:46 > 0:48:47HE LAUGHS
0:48:47 > 0:48:49They're all flying down. Wow!
0:48:52 > 0:48:55So inside there, they're all the... Ow!
0:48:55 > 0:48:56HE LAUGHS
0:48:56 > 0:48:57'Like any protective parents,
0:48:57 > 0:49:02'these red ants aren't about to give up their babies without a fight.'
0:49:02 > 0:49:03They bite badly, don't they!
0:49:08 > 0:49:10And you're drowning them in there?
0:49:10 > 0:49:12Are there any eggs in here?
0:49:12 > 0:49:15Oh, yeah, there's a few little eggs.
0:49:15 > 0:49:16Ow!
0:49:16 > 0:49:18HE LAUGHS
0:49:18 > 0:49:19They're angry. Blimey!
0:49:19 > 0:49:22Look, they're going everywhere, absolutely everywhere...
0:49:22 > 0:49:23Ow! Ow!
0:49:23 > 0:49:24HE LAUGHS
0:49:24 > 0:49:26'And I'm not the only one in pain.
0:49:26 > 0:49:30'A few seconds later, and the entire crew gets attacked.'
0:49:30 > 0:49:31Ants attack!
0:49:31 > 0:49:33SHE SCREAMS
0:49:33 > 0:49:36What about my hair? Check my hair.
0:49:36 > 0:49:37HE LAUGHS
0:49:37 > 0:49:40'So we managed to get our first ant nest
0:49:40 > 0:49:43'and we've regrouped because it was slightly chaotic,'
0:49:43 > 0:49:45everyone got bitten to shreds.
0:49:45 > 0:49:50So, erm, so this time, we're going to shake the pole from upwind
0:49:50 > 0:49:53so the ants fall out and fly out downwind
0:49:53 > 0:49:57and, hopefully, there will be separation of human and ant.
0:49:57 > 0:50:00That way, we might survive this, OK, you ready?
0:50:00 > 0:50:01Let's go for it.
0:50:05 > 0:50:08That's quite high, that one. Oh, here they come.
0:50:08 > 0:50:10We're right underneath them now.
0:50:12 > 0:50:14Oh, you got it. Ow! Ow! Ow!
0:50:14 > 0:50:16'This isn't just a little bite.
0:50:16 > 0:50:19'When their leaf-cutting jaws crunch down,
0:50:19 > 0:50:22'the ants twist their bodies to inflict maximum pain.
0:50:22 > 0:50:27'But what's strange is that Mr Jhong doesn't even flinch.'
0:50:27 > 0:50:28What a crazy job you've got.
0:50:36 > 0:50:38Ow!
0:50:38 > 0:50:39OK.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41Ow! Ow! Ow!
0:50:41 > 0:50:44So OK...
0:50:44 > 0:50:46Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Jesus!
0:50:48 > 0:50:50Ow! Oh! Ow!
0:50:50 > 0:50:52HE LAUGHS
0:50:54 > 0:50:57I suppose they're just getting their own back, aren't they?
0:50:57 > 0:50:58Ow!
0:50:58 > 0:51:00'And here's the prize,
0:51:00 > 0:51:05'the red ants themselves alongside their larvae and pupae.'
0:51:05 > 0:51:06Can you eat them like this?
0:51:11 > 0:51:12Ow!
0:51:14 > 0:51:19'If I was feeling any guilt about eating baby ants, it's gone.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22'I'm going to be tasting revenge.'
0:51:24 > 0:51:26Wow, very crunchy, really sour,
0:51:26 > 0:51:29they're sour like lemon or lime.
0:51:29 > 0:51:34All I know is that you have got one insane job.
0:51:34 > 0:51:37THEY LAUGH
0:51:37 > 0:51:40OK, ready. Yee-ha!
0:51:40 > 0:51:43Oh, hang on, it's hard to handle.
0:51:43 > 0:51:44Are there any brakes on it?
0:51:46 > 0:51:47Which way, straight over?
0:51:47 > 0:51:49What about traffic?
0:51:49 > 0:51:51HE LAUGHS
0:51:51 > 0:51:55'With the red ants safely contained in buckets, we return triumphant.
0:51:57 > 0:52:01'Mr Jhong makes most of his annual income during the red ant harvest,
0:52:01 > 0:52:03'but he doesn't' sell the whole catch.
0:52:03 > 0:52:05'He always welcomes in the season
0:52:05 > 0:52:08'with a red ant feast for the whole family.'
0:52:09 > 0:52:12So, here are the beasts?
0:52:12 > 0:52:14Beautiful.
0:52:15 > 0:52:17'Ant stew is surprisingly simple,
0:52:17 > 0:52:20'but I'm still getting plenty of direction.
0:52:23 > 0:52:26'After green vegetables, we add a generous portion of chillies.'
0:52:26 > 0:52:29That's going to be so hot!
0:52:29 > 0:52:31You're a kitchen bully, you are.
0:52:31 > 0:52:32And the whole lot?
0:52:45 > 0:52:47I cook for my wife more than my wife cooks for me.
0:52:47 > 0:52:51THEY LAUGH
0:52:53 > 0:52:55'And, finally, the prize ingredient,
0:52:55 > 0:52:59'three handfuls of painfully expensive winged ants.
0:53:02 > 0:53:05'The next dish is a red ant egg omelette,
0:53:05 > 0:53:09'known throughout Thailand as one of the best delicacies of the season.'
0:53:11 > 0:53:13Oh, the whole lot? Aha, OK.
0:53:15 > 0:53:19Look at that, that is a strangely beautiful sight.
0:53:19 > 0:53:21Every now and then,
0:53:21 > 0:53:23you get another egg bursting,
0:53:23 > 0:53:27a huge wallop of oil, hits you in the face.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29How are you going to flip that baby over?
0:53:40 > 0:53:41That's good?
0:53:44 > 0:53:47A little two-year-old is nicking all the fly eggs
0:53:47 > 0:53:49and Uncle Jhong went...
0:53:49 > 0:53:51HE LAUGHS
0:53:51 > 0:53:54Kids are different round here.
0:53:54 > 0:53:58'But the final dish is the legendary red ant egg salad.'
0:53:58 > 0:54:01It's an incredibly visual dish
0:54:01 > 0:54:03and I guess if you're going to spend a vast amount of money
0:54:03 > 0:54:05on an ingredient, you want to see it right in there.
0:54:05 > 0:54:11You know, there's no denying this is a salad of ants and ant eggs.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20Why do you give some to the temple?
0:54:37 > 0:54:40'We head just round the corner to the local Buddhist monastery,
0:54:40 > 0:54:43'carrying a bucket full of red ant offerings.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51'It's against their religion for monks to cook for themselves,
0:54:51 > 0:54:55'so bringing food offerings is an integral part of Buddhist ritual.'
0:54:57 > 0:55:00It's got to be fair, we don't want the monks fighting over it.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03This is the salad, this is the good stuff.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15'The monks here will eat meat or insects,
0:55:15 > 0:55:18'as long as they don't see them being killed.'
0:55:20 > 0:55:24THEY CHANT
0:55:28 > 0:55:32'It's also forbidden for them to have any opinions about the taste.
0:55:32 > 0:55:36'Food is for sustenance, not pleasure.
0:55:36 > 0:55:39'But it's pretty clear to me that this monk loves my red ant stew.'
0:55:58 > 0:56:01'And with that spiritual endorsement,
0:56:01 > 0:56:02'I head to Mr Jhong's house,
0:56:02 > 0:56:06'finally ready to try the ultimate in insect gastronomy.'
0:56:06 > 0:56:09OK, this is a really crucial moment for me,
0:56:09 > 0:56:12because this is supposed to be
0:56:12 > 0:56:15the most delicious set of insects on the planet.
0:56:15 > 0:56:17Now, if it is truly delicious,
0:56:17 > 0:56:22if it works as a, as a food, a dish, as something I can really enjoy,
0:56:22 > 0:56:24then, maybe, I can become an evangelist.
0:56:24 > 0:56:28OK, so how do we do this?
0:56:28 > 0:56:30You get a little bit of sticky rice first
0:56:30 > 0:56:33and then, and then, make it into a little bit like that.
0:56:33 > 0:56:35And then, and then, scoop it up, yeah?
0:56:35 > 0:56:37Like that?
0:56:40 > 0:56:43Oh, my... Big green ant.
0:56:49 > 0:56:52THEY CHUCKLE
0:56:52 > 0:56:54That is damn fine.
0:56:54 > 0:56:56Mmm, mmm!
0:56:59 > 0:57:00Absolutely delicious.
0:57:00 > 0:57:04A world of experience of flavours and textures
0:57:04 > 0:57:07and sweet and sour, milky,
0:57:07 > 0:57:10and all these little crunchy bits of the ants
0:57:10 > 0:57:13and the creaminess of the eggs.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16Fantastic, it's like the sensations of caviar,
0:57:16 > 0:57:19but with masses more flavour.
0:57:19 > 0:57:22I'd like to propose a toast to you, beautiful people,
0:57:22 > 0:57:28but, above all, to these amazing and fantastically delicious insects.
0:57:35 > 0:57:39'This has been an extraordinary journey.
0:57:39 > 0:57:42'I've finally conquered my prejudice against eating insects
0:57:42 > 0:57:46'and, in fact, I've found some that are phenomenally delicious.
0:57:48 > 0:57:51'But I've also seen how these little creatures
0:57:51 > 0:57:53'are sustaining communities,
0:57:53 > 0:57:55'spreading wealth and helping feed those
0:57:55 > 0:57:57'that might otherwise go hungry.
0:58:00 > 0:58:04'Which begs the question, why not eat insects?
0:58:06 > 0:58:11'I wonder if some day we'll look back on the early 21st century
0:58:11 > 0:58:14'as a time when the world was bursting with food,
0:58:14 > 0:58:17'but we just didn't appreciate it.
0:58:17 > 0:58:19'We know they're good for us,
0:58:19 > 0:58:21'and even better for the environment.
0:58:21 > 0:58:25'If we can get over our collective fear and ignorance,
0:58:25 > 0:58:26'it's just possible
0:58:26 > 0:58:30'that eating insects might, someday, save the world.'
0:58:53 > 0:58:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd