Trick or treaters could be in for a creepy surprise when they dig into their Halloween loot.
Bug lollipops, featuring a real scorpion, meal worm or cricket, are on sale at Kerry Wood Nature Centre just in time for the spookiest night of the year.
Suspended in fruit-flavoured candy, the bugs are clearly visible inside the suckers.
“Some people look at them and say there’s no way I’d eat that, or even consider it. Other people are quite intrigued. A few people have had them before. It’s definitely a mixed reaction. They are drawing a lot of attention,” said Holly Elliott, manager of the centre’s store.
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The novelty candy arrived this week specifically for Halloween. People are also buying them as stocking stuffers.
“We’re already getting good sales.”
She said similar candies were sold at the store years ago, and there were requests to bring them back. So far, people are more attracted to the scorpion and cricket suckers.
“There’s a lot of new products coming on the market that are insect based. In North America, it’s not the norm, but in other countries it is.”
While Elliott has not tried the candy, she said others have liked them. She did sample crickets sold in the store that are seasoned like potato chips; for example, sour cream and onion.
“They were fine, crunchy.”
Scorpion suckers cost $7.95 each, and the worm and cricket suckers cost $5.95.
Money raised by the non-profit store funds Kerry Wood Nature Centre programs.
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