By Kaya Burgess , Science Reporter
Ants are usually unwelcome guests at a picnic, but scientists have now said they could make a delicious addition to the menu after finding they have nutty, lemony and caramel flavours.
Common black ants have a sour, vinegary taste, so can be ground and used in place of lemon juice in recipes, according to researchers from California.
The chicatana ant, native to Mexico, is rare and hard to harvest. It is a delicacy and scientists found that it has a “nutty, roasty, woody and fatty” flavour. It can be used to make a smoky salsa to serve with crisps or tortillas. One chef said that it was “a cross between truffle, brown butter and a washed-rind cheese”.
Weaver ants, found in sub-Saharan Africa and south
