(Last Updated On: November 29, 2022)

When the rainy season begins in southern Mexico, flying ants called Chicatanas begin to leave their nests for mating. These insects swarm, often near streetlights where they are captured and placed into plastic bags.

Apparently, they are very aggressive and have quite a painful bite. After they are collected they are washed and grilled on a comal; a metal dish that is normally used to grill tortillas.

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The local indigenous people have been gathering and eating these insects since ancient times. Chicatana ants are even mentioned in the 16th-century encyclopedia of Mexican knowledge known as the Codex Florentino, where they were referred to as “Tzicatana.”

Usually, they are ground up with garlic, salt, and chilies in a molcajete and made into salsa. They are supposed to be good just salted with a little chili powder and lime and eaten as snacks with beer or tequila.

I have a pretty strong stomach and a definite joy of trying new things, but honestly, I couldn’t really ever say I loved eating Chicatana Ants. They had a crunchy texture and a slightly smoky flavor, but the exoskeleton tended to get stuck in my teeth, and there was a kind of weird, plastic aftertaste. As a novelty they were enjoyable, but next time I am offered some, I think I will decline.

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