I Ate Bugs for Dinner—The Butterfly Pavilion’s Legacies: Invertebrates of Mexico

Recently, we were invited to the opening of the Butterfly Pavilion’s new exhibit, Legacies: Invertebrates of Mexico—a preview night for members, media, and local supporters with a passion for bugs and biodiversity.

The evening kicked off with talks from expert entomologists (I call them bugologists), museum directors, and other guest speakers. Then came the food—an unforgettable spread of Mexican dishes by Chef José of La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal in Denver. We had chicken and veggie tacos, and yes—flying ant salsa and roasted grasshoppers.

The food wasn’t just delicious—it was a crash course in edible ecology. Those grasshoppers on the tlayuda? Also hanging out in the exhibit. The salsa made with flying ants? Yep, those too. But this wasn’t shock-and-awe bug-eating. After munching on these delectables, it was a treat to walk through the exhibit and see them up close. I was delighted by the joy of watching these critters scamper about in their aquariums and thoroughly enjoyed learning about each of them.

There was the cochineal, a tiny insect living on prickly pear cactus, once prized across continents for its brilliant red dye. It colored royal robes and religious art, and today it’s still used in textiles and even food coloring—proof that something so small can shape entire industries. Leafcutter ants moved steadily through their transparent tunnels, transporting leaf bits to their underground fungus farm—a real-life demonstration of just how organized and purposeful these tiny farmers really are. The red rump tarantula, with its bold black and crimson body, looked motionless under glass, but it plays a key role in balancing insect populations across its desert ecosystem. And then there were the millipedes. These detritivores break down organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil. They’ve even been used medicinally—at one time mashed into pastes to treat toothaches.

This wasn’t just about novelty—it was a reminder: these invertebrates have been part of life in Mexico for thousands of years, not just as food, but as essential players in keeping ecosystems functioning. Leafcutter ants enrich soil by breaking down plant material and farming fungi. Cochineal insects don’t just make dye—they’re part of a cactus-hosted microhabitat that supports birds, reptiles, and other insects. Tarantulas control pest populations, while millipedes help decompose organic matter and return nutrients to the soil. Throughout the exhibit, invertebrates were doing jobs the ecosystem can’t function without—recycling nutrients, aerating soil, managing pests, or supporting plants at the root level. Lose them, and the system starts to break down.

You can catch Legacies: Invertebrates of Mexico at the Butterfly Pavilion through December 31, 2025. The exhibit offers a rare chance to see the insects that shape our world—from the food we eat to the health of the soil beneath our feet. The Butterfly Pavilion is located at 6252 W. 104th Ave in Westminster.