9-8-99

Contacts:
Pat Miller, Lectures, (515) 294-9935
Steve Sullivan, News Service, (515) 294-3720

INSECT FLICK, ZOO AND MUNCHIES AT ISU SEPT. 10

AMES, Iowa -- They're back! Those creepy crawly treats, the insect petting zoo and a feature film will be presented during Iowa State University's annual Insect Horror Film Festival, 6-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10, in the Memorial Union South Ballroom. All events are free and open to the public.

This year's movie, "A Bug's Life", starts at 7:15 p.m. with an introduction by ISU entomologist Joel Coats. The Insect Petting Zoo will feature Mediterranean fruitflies, hissing cockroaches, giant millipedes, a butterfly tent and maggot therapy. The treats this year will be Caramel Apple Bug Crunch, Napoleons with Mealworm Custard Filling and Popcorn Mealworm Munchies. (See recipes below.)

Insect Horror Film Festival
Friday, September 10, 1999
6-10 p.m. South Ballroom, Memorial Union

Insect Tasting Event
Caramel Apple Bug Crunch, Napoleons with Mealworm Custard Filling, and Popcorn Mealworm Munchies

Insect Petting Zoo
with Mediterranean Fruitfly Hissing Cockroaches, Giant Millipedes, Butterfly Tent and a Maggot Therapy

Film: A Bug's Life
7:15p.m.
Flik is a misfit ant who tries to save his colony from a greedy gang of grasshoppers. To do so, he joins up with a bunch of performers from a flea circus. Introduction by ISU entomologist Joel Coats

1999 Insect Horror Film Festival Recipes

Popcorn Mealworm Munchies

1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup honey
3 quarts popcorn, popped
1 cup dry roasted mealworms, chopped

Blend the butter and honey together in a saucepan and heat gently. Mix the popcorn with the insects and pour the butter-honey mixture over it. Mix well. Spread on a cookie sheet in a thin layer. Bake at 350 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Break into bite-sized pieces.

Napoleons with Mealworm Custard Filling

1 package vanilla pudding
5 sheets phyllo pastry
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp. water
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup dry roasted mealworms

Prepare chilled pudding as directed on package. Add mealworms and stir.

Allow phyllo pastry to thaw if necessary. Spread chilled pudding to completely cover the thin pastry. Repeat to make several layers of pastry crust and pudding. Be sure to make middle layers thinner than bottom. Top final pastry layer with butter creme frosting and drizzle melted chocolate on for decoration.

*To prepare butter cream frosting, whip together softened butter with powdered sugar. Add water sparingly, allowing frosting to form to ideal thickness. Frosting should be creamy enough to rest on pastry.

Caramel Apple Bug Crunch

8 oz. caramel squares
6 large red delicious apples
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 cups mealworms
6 popsicle sticks

Melt caramel squares with creme in a double boiler. While waiting, insert popsicle sticks into apples. Hold on to the popsicle stick and dip apples into caramel mixture, allow to coat completely. Withdraw apple and immediately, sprinkle mealworms over caramel coating to stick. Let caramel apple sit for 10 minutes. Ready to serve.

Iowa State homepage

University Relations, online@iastate.edu
Copyright © 1999, Iowa State University, all rights reserved