In which of these countries can you order roasted ants as a movie snack?

Americans may prefer popcorn, but in Colombia, roasted ants are a movie theater go-to. Not just any ants, but a species of winged leaf-cutter ants known in Spanish as “hormigas culonas”; which translates literally to "big-bottom ants".

Large as a cockroach and curvy as a pin-up girl, the “big-bottomed ant” is coveted by gourmands around the world, but not easy to procure. The ants that make the best eating live up to twenty feet underground; protected by a rigid caste system. Soldier ants defend the nest. The “princess” ants’ only job is reproduction. After mating, they fly off to start a new anthill, and ant-hunters make their move. If they can get past the guard ants, (who attack with bites that draw blood) they will be rewarded with females that fetch from $9/pound (when plentiful) and up to $40/pound (when numbers are scarce).

The ants flourish in the Santander region of Colombia, where they are harvested, roasted, salted, and munched on like peanuts. While the practice might seem strange to outsiders, the ants are considered a delicacy, akin to caviar. Eating these ants is a tradition which originated with some of the pre-Colombian tribes in the region; the indigenous people have eaten them for centuries.

In addition to snacking on them at the movies, some Colombians also add them to pizza or put them into meat sauces. A few gourmet restaurants in the cities of San Gil and Barichara have incorporated big-bottom ants in some of their dishes in creative ways as well.