Could You Survive on Berries and Insects?

Do you have any bushcraft skills? If you were lost in the wild do you have the skills to build a shelter, start a fire, find water and locate some food? #?

Living in the modern world we have lost touch with the sources of our food. Some children grow up in our modern cities without any hands-on experience of where their food actually comes from. I once taught a young guy who didn't know that burgers were made from beef. I don't know what he thought they were made out of.

There are no convenience stores or all night supermarkets in the wilderness. You would need to be able to recognize what is safe and healthy to eat. You may have seen Bear Grylls surviving in some of the most inhospitable locations on the planet where he always finds and eats whatever he can find. Something you may have noticed is that Bear is never without his bushcraft knife, an essential survival tool.

Wild berries can be an excellent source of nutrition. Our ancient ancestors would have gathered nuts, berries and grain when in season and eaten these routinely. But there are many berries which can be deadly poisonous.

Yew berries, for instance, are the cause of a high number of poisonings every year. They are very bright scarlet in colour with an indentation at the base, about 8 to 10mm in diameter. The berries look deceptively appetising which has resulted in many young children being taken to the emergency room.

Another berry that results in many visits to the hospital emergency room each year is Deadly Nightshade. The clue is in the name, not in the appearance. Also known as Belladonna this plant also produces berries in September and they taste quite sweet, making them attractive to young children.

Insects can be a valuable source of protein and energy and they are a lot easier to catch than many larger animals. Most insects are actually edible, but some taste better than others. Most insects are actually very high in protein but low in fat.Wood grubs, mealworms, grasshoppers and crickets are all a safe bet for supper. You will find that most insects taste better when barbecued and you can even grind them up to make an insect flour.

Birds, rabbits and other small animals are all generally good to eat, but not so easy to catch. This is particularly true if you are lost in the wilderness without any form of weapon. Without a weapon a trap is probably your best option for catching a bird or rabbit.

You'd be excused for thinking that you will never find yourself lost in the wild, seriously thinking about a supper of insects and berries. But it really could happen to you. All you need to do is stray from a main pathway through a forest and you can quickly become disoriented and be unable to find your way back to the path. That's when you'll wish you'd paid more attention to Ray Mears Extreme Survival.