ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the use of insects for food—as the main meal. Bee honey is the main product of the vital functions of insects. Besides its direct use as food, honey is used as an ingredient in different dishes. One can identify three stages in the history of bee keeping: honey hunting; wild-honey farming; and beekeeping. Beekeeping is practiced on a larger part of the Earth's surface than any other branch of agriculture; in fact, the success of some branches of plant cultivation depends on it. The nutritional values of edible insects vary profoundly, which is caused, not least of all, by the wide diversity of species. However, even within one group of edible species of insects, the values can be vary greatly, depending on the metamorphic stage of the insects, their habitats, character of nutrition, and preparation and processing methods. Insects are insufficiently used in the production of foods for pets.
