Edible Insect Taste Test

Candy Is Dandy Candy Is Dandy If you're ever craved insect candy (and really, who hasn't), you've got to check out Hot Lix, a mail order company based in Grover Beach, Calif.

They offer lollipops in a variety of flavors -- orange, grape, watermelon and so on -- with three unique fillings: crickets, worms and scorpions. The worm ones also come in tequila flavor. We tried a blueberry scorpion pop, and while the texture of the arthropod was unnerving, it really just tasted like sugar and artificial fruit flavoring.

Next, we tried ant candy ("wafers of delectable white chocolate swirled with real ants") and crispy crickets (try sour cream and onion, or better yet, bacon and cheese). The crickets come with nutrition facts, and the body-conscious shouldn't worry -- they're just nine calories per box.

There's a definite mental hurdle to overcome when eating insects, but the torture with these snacks lies in the mind, not the mouth. The chocolate was sweet, and the crickets were incredibly salty. Like the lollipops, they didn't taste like much, which I'm guessing is a good thing.