Each April, a restaurant called Bull City Burger in Durham, North Carolina, challenges patrons to try a variety of unusual dishes as part of its “Exotic Meat Month.” One of the strangest items on the menu is a tarantula burger. It consists of a beef patty topped with a spicy chili sauce, cheese, and— you guessed it—a whole roasted tarantula!
“Most arthropods like insects, spiders, and scorpions are safe to eat,” says Louis Sorkin. He’s an entomologist, or insect scientist, who studies arthropods at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. “However, some tarantulas have defensive setae that must be removed prior to cooking and consumption.” Setae are stiff, hair-like structures found on most tarantulas’ abdomens. If these bristles touch a person’s skin, they can cause rashes and swelling. A chef can easily sear off irritating setae with a handheld chef’s torch or gas burner.
In the U.S., eating spiders and insects may be considered exotic. But in many other parts of the world, it’s commonplace. “Close to 2,000 species of arthropods have been recorded as being eaten by humans,” says Sorkin. And for good reason: These creatures are rich in protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients. Although they’re good for you, when faced with chomping down on something huge, hairy, and eight-legged for the first time, it can be hard for some people to get past the ickfactor. Adventurous eaters who’ve tried tarantula, though, say it actually tastes a bit like another arthropod you may have eaten before—crab!