Do you remember the days when the primo treat at birthday parties featured a little bucket of pudding with Oreos crumbled on top, and some gummy worms to top it all off? Dirt cups, they were called, and they were delicious. It wasn't difficult at all to stomach, because everything just looked so darn sweet and cute. Your palate has probably expanded quite a bit since those days, but if you dig sophisticated delicacies and you find yourself craving a buggy snack, then you might just be in the market to try entomophagy, or the consumption of insects. You've heard of entomophagy probably, but have you ever considered giving it a go? Sure, it can be difficult to think of them as anything other than pests that need to be eradicated from your home with the aid of expert exterminators, but all over the world people are preparing them as part of their normal, everyday cuisine. Westerners tend to be shocked when they actually see insects being served up as street food abroad, but the rumor is, some of these dishes are actually quite tasty. Here are some bug that are, believe it or not, made for chewing and swallowing.

* Termites. Yes, those destructive little nuisances which eat away at the wood in your home are themselves considered food for humans. In Indonesia and Africa termites are consumed by the native population (and perhaps by adventurous tourists). While the tastiest preparation is a light roasting, in Kenya the locals are known to eat them fresh out of the mound. Would you be tempted to fire up your oven if your home had been invaded by termites?

* Scorpions. These critters - who are known mostly for surprising unwitting homeowners in the American southwest - are not technically insects, coming from the arachnid family, but sold street-side in Thailand, they're right up there with other bugs-on-a-stick that make Western tourists a little queasy. Also considered unabashedly edible in China and Vietnam, scorpions are a significant food source outside the U.S.

* Grasshoppers. Just south of the border, grasshoppers are served up as zesty snacks, complemented with chili and lime, and roasted to crispness, whereas in Africa and Thailand the more common preparation is to fry them. In either case, diners receive a hearty serving of both protein and calcium.

* Tarantulas. Another arachnid, tarantulas come baked in Cambodia, where they're considered more of a treat and less of a regular part of the balanced south east Asian diet. While most of us rejoice in tarantulas' scarcity, Cambodians bemoan the less-than-bountiful population, which taste something like crab meat.

* Witchety grub. Embracing their cultural roots, Aussies have turned the witchety grubs from an Aborigine staple to haute cuisine, served up in some of the finest restaurants. They can be consumed raw or just slightly cooked over a fire or hot coals, and they're wonderfully high in protein.

* Casu Marzu. This Italian dish, based in Sardinia, is one of the few Western plates on the list, and it's quite potent. The insects contained within are maggots, which were drawn to the sheep's milk cheese because it was left to ferment. Now some will remove the little worms before they begin to ciao down, but it's also entirely common for people to leave the maggots and consume them as part of the cheese.

* Giant water bugs. Perhaps one of the world capitals for insect cuisine, Thailand is also home to edible giant water bugs, which look like glorified cockroaches, taste something like scallops and are eaten fried or roasted after they have been divested of their shells.