Yes, this is about eating grubs. Deal with it.
Flexible, the grub squeezes out of a small hole.
Without the expertise of Charles E. Williams and the Michigan Entomological Society, Department of entomology, Michingan State University, this article would not be possible.
Over 100 species of insect feed on North American nut trees, including acorns. The most common acorn insects are weevils, genera Curculio and Conotrachelus, or long snout and short snout. The long snout weevil has a snout as long as its body or longer. The short snout weevil has a snout that is one-half the length of its body, or shorter. Both feed off corns and lay eggs that later become edible grubs.
Grubs are legless, buttery tasting, and chewy
The long snout weevil drills a hole in the acorn then lays her eggs. The short snout weevil finds a cracked acorn and lays her eggs through the crack. Both are quite successful. The legless grub-like larvae hatch from the eggs in a few days to a couple of weeks and there can be several larvae in each acorn. They go through a five stage growth development and eventually grow large enough to chew their way out of the acorn. They squirm out, drop to the ground, dig in, make a cocoon, and pupate for one to five years before emerging as adult insects.
The cavity in the acorn is then used by the Acorn Moth to lay her eggs. Those turn into a caterpillar, long, skinny, with six short legs on front, and usually pupate in the acorn. What you are looking for is what you see above left and right, a short, legless grub that is tan colored and fat in the middle. No Legs. Raw acorn grubs taste mild and surprisingly a bit chewy like a piece of fat. Cooked they are soft and buttery. But, you have to cook them over low heat if you fry them. They explode within a second if you put them in very hot fat.
Mama beetle looks for a hole to lay eggs or drills one
Grubs are also nutritious containing protein, fat, minerals and vitamins. In fact, in Australia 10 finger-large witchetty grubs meets all the daily calorie and nutrition requirements of an adult.
You can use grubs directly for fishing or put them in a bucket of sawdust or the like where they will make cocoons and live for one to five years, fresh bait when you need it. You can also store them in the frig. Whether you tell anyone looking for a snack in yoru frig that they are there is your call.
As for finding grubs in acorns the peak season is in September follow heavy rains in August. That can vary depending on where you are and also if other nuts are involved. If you want to read more about weevils here’s an informative article by the insect experts at the University of Kentuck.
Thank you ever so much for all your very interesting videos on edible weeds.. I have learned a lot.. I was looking for how to grow Jacques fruit seed to a tree and end up watching your videos, and felt the prompting of going to your website to express my gratitude for chairing your great knowledge and experience on how to eat more natural and green.. and remain healthy.. Thanks again for all your videos and hope you’ll continue.. we need more people like you to show in a funny pedagogic way how to eat weeds, eat green, eat healthy..
Love your videos, keep going, looking forward for more videos on youtube, news letters..
Dominique from France
Why thank you…..
do you think this would make decent fishing bait?
No… a very hungry mullet might try it but I doubt it.
Yes I think so, especially if it was a nice fat one. They would be pretty small bait so it would really depend what you’re fishing for. It could be used to catch small bait fish at the very least, which you could then use as bait for a larger fish.
That’s Awesome!
Wow, just yesterday I headed out for a short trip to gather acorns and found a cluster of sawtooth and daimyo oaks. short trip became a long excursion hot on the trail of each tree beyond the next. hunger happened and as I had not planned to be out all day had nothing but water… and… grubs. texture reminds me more of a seasquirt than fat in my opnion with a subtle farinaceous flavor. was enjoyable.
Very good ideas.
I am looking forward to trying this, as the acorns are starting to fill in and the rains have been frequent and heavy here in southern Louisiana!
West Michigan am finds round “balls” brownish in color red fleshy inside along with acorns this year yes w grubs inside sometimes one but also 4-5 inside others . They shrivel up in a matter of few days. What are these? Never saw them b4. Mostly black oak trees. Misfit acorns? Very curious and yes the bluegill love em but very tender to use as bait unlike the maggot(spikes). Any further insight would be appreciated TY JIM
Those are insect galls.
Yay Michigan! for their contribution to this article. I’m originally from Michigan and will look for any publications from them.
And thank you Deane. I was told never to eat acorns because they were toxic. However, when I began to research Native Americans, I found acorns to be a main source of food for many tribes. I would like to know how to identify which one are edible and how to prepare them.
Thanks Deane (and Michigan).
My Son collected a big bag of acorns and left it on the back porch, I noticed a bird on the porch eating little grubs around the bag, I dumped the bag of acorns and collected up a lot of these little grubs, I know that grubs are packed with protein and have eaten other grubs at survival school so decided to try one, I was surprised to find that it tasted pretty good, tasted nutty…I poured the rest out on the porch and went back inside, the bird came back and feasted.
Two years ago I decided to make use of the many acorns falling from the trees in my yard. I did some research on it and made flour and finally bread and muffins. During this time I also found that the grubs were so delicious and a lot less work, that now I’m only interested in the grubs and I let the squirrels have the “good” acorns.
Thanks Green Deane for this website and your videos. You have truly inspired me to discover how beautiful, interesting and delicious it is outside 🙂
Wow, someone else who harvests acorns as much for the grubs as for the acorns themselves? I’m just looking for the calories in 100 grams of grubs, and this article is close to a decade old, but it is real thrill to read your comment Christine. I have a whole grub processing method, lol … my daughter brings me the acorns now that my knee doesn’t let me walk that much, and I get to spend several weeks or months drying the acorns, capturing the grubs, and packing them into containers to put in the fridge.
This also helps improve the acorn crop, by the way–if we hunt for acorns under the same tree every year for three or four years in a row, the grubs we’re removing from the base of the tree means fewer growing into adults and laying eggs for new grubs. Passenger pigeons used to do this same “grooming” job, as well as deer and turkeys, but in their absence, the curculios have taken over. When we’re in there replicating the same conditions of acorn removal, it actually increases the health of the whole micro-habitat, with far more acorn meat for animals, not just bugs.
How can i search for free live grubs or purchase them i want to try them and how to cook them thanks alot
Hello there Julius, Well I’ll tell ya, it’s hit or miss……gather acorns by brushing away the fallen oak leaf “blanket”, then go to town bagging those with no visible cracks or wormholes…..take home, crush under your bare heel, and use you fingernail to peel………..it’s really kinda cool to eat… juicy and sweet for their size. Oh and btw, the nut will be no good, but I prefer the grub. Lemme know, Kevin
what part of shampoo ginger is edible? i have it growing in my yard i can give you a rhizome – i looks like ginger, i have washed my hair with it. i heard it was a medicinal as well,
I am very new at this. I am 70 years young but very interested with the way our country is heading. I know I need to learn all I can to help my daughters and grandchildren. I have them almost believing me when I tell them how important this is. I will learn and then rope them in as it will spark their interest. Send me as much as you can. I will do all the research I can. I live in a small remote town in Mo. Our little library is closed due to Covid-19 and no one from church knows any body that could help me. I would really appreciate all the videos and blogs you could send. Thank you.
Hi Delores!
I have been learning and practicing the art of identifying, gathering and preparing wild edibles too! I am learning on my own from books, but could learn so much more if paired up with an experienced guide…difficult to find. I also am concerned with the direction things are heading in this country and around the globe and, therefore expanding on my skills/knowledge.
Yucky but interesting the grubs are edible; hope things don’t come to a point where eating them is necessary😳.
Greetings, I just found this site and have a few questions. I interested in using the grubs for fishing (ice fishing) bait. I have successfully harvested a couple hundred grubs. Wondering the best way to store them and keep useable for a few months. Is there any way they will get any bigger now they are out of the acorn? Maybe the storage media or do they eat anything after emerging?…TIA
You might try oatmeal (or the like) in a bucket with a large slice of potato or carrot for water for them.