@wendinoakland@beige.party @VeroniqueB99@mastodon.social i am so gullible, but am learning. The insect shown in the image is a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys), not a "cherry beetle." The caption accompanying the image is a popular internet prank designed to trick people into biting or eating a pest. Why you shouldn't eat it: • The "Flavor" Profile: There is no "North American cherry beetle" that tastes like a Jolly Rancher. When threatened or crushed, stink bugs release a chemical defense mechanism that emits a highly pungent, foul odor often described as smelling like intense cilantro, skunk, or pungent chemicals—definitely not sweet candy. • Not a Delicacy: While a few specific shield bug species are consumed globally after thorough preparation, the common household brown marmorated stink bug is an invasive agricultural pest native to Asia and is not something you want to pop into your mouth. even if it was one, i wouldn't eat a bug. though technically prawns and crabs are. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskBiology/comments/1nw0j68/is_it_true_shrimp_lobsters_and_crabs_are_the/