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Sarah Bernard / AP
This frame grab made from video on Oct. 5 shows Edward Archbold competing in a roach-eating contest at Ben Siegel Reptile Store in Deerfield Beach, Fla.
It could be weeks before autopsy results can determine why a 32-year-old Florida man collapsed and died after winning a cockroach-eating contest.
Insect experts say the mere act of eating roaches, while repulsive to many, shouldn’t have killed Edward Archbold. Some theorize Archbold may have had an allergic reaction.
Archbold ate more than 60 grams of meal worms, 35 three-inch-long “super worms” and part of a bucket full of discoid roaches to win the “Midnight Madness” bug-eating competition Friday night at Ben Siegel Reptiles in Deerfield Beach, about 40 miles north of Miami, according to The Miami Herald. The take-home grand prize was a python from the reptile shop.
Shortly after winning the contest, Archbold became ill and began to vomit, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office said. He collapsed in front of the store and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
The medical examiner's office said Tuesday that it has sent samples of Archbold's remains for testing, but results are not expected for another week or two.
“We know cockroaches shed a lot of allergens, but they’re not toxic in and of themselves,” Bill Kern, a professor of entomology at the University of Florida, told The Miami Herald. “Very few [human] cultures tend to eat cockroaches because they store large amounts of uric acid and nitrogenous waste. And they tend to be scavengers and feed on things most people wouldn’t consider to be desirable.”
Mike Tringale, vice president of external affairs at the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, told The Associated Press it's possible that Archbold "hit his tolerance level to cockroach allergens" and went into anaphylactic shock.
Tringale said that such a severe reaction to cockroaches is "probably rare," however.
Coby Schal, a North Carolina State University entomologist, also surmised that the death was likely an allergic response, "but there is always a possibility that cockroaches do carry bacteria, but the response won't be immediate. It would take time for bacteria to be a problem."
Michael Adams, professor of entomology at the University of California at Riverside, says he's never heard of someone dying after consuming roaches. "Unless the roaches were contaminated with some bacteria or other pathogens, I don't think that cockroaches would be unsafe to eat," Adams told the AP. "Some people do have allergies to roaches, but there are no toxins in roaches or related insects."
The Broward County medical examiner's office said Tuesday it has sent samples of Archbold's remains for testing, but results are not expected for another week or two.
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All the contestants in the bug-eating competition had signed a waiver acknowledging the risks of illness, adverse reactions and injury associated with eating live insects, the store said.
The live discoid roaches were brought out for the final round of the contest. Luke Lirot, an attorney representing Ben Siegel, the store’s owner, told the Herald that the roaches, which are sold as reptile feed, are “raised in a sterile container from the time they’re little critters" and are perfectly safe to eat.
One contestant, Matthew Karwacki, 26, who won a lesser platinum ball python in the cricket-eating contest, said he ate one roach before tapping out. “The taste did not suit me, but the texture for sure was the worst part,” Karwacki told the Herald. “If you could look inside a dirty gutter and scoop up what’s in there, that’s what went through my head. All the other contestants kept eating roaches, but I had to look away.”
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Sarah Bernard, an entomology student at the University of Florida, shot cellphone video of Archbold during the competition. Bernard said she did not see Archbold immediately after the competition ended. She recalled that an announcer said "the winner was vomiting somewhere, and we'll congratulate him when he comes back," according to the AP.
Ben Siegel Reptile Store said the prize python, reportedly worth $850, will go to Archbold's estate.
Archbold's co-workers at Busch Canvas, which does canvas work for yachts and restaurants, have set up a fund for his daughter, who will turn 7 years old next week, the Palm Beach Post reported.
Archbold’s death has officials at Six Flags Great America in Chicago reviewing whether to continue with its “Friday Night Feast,” a weekly contest that invites guests to eat five Madagascar hissing cockroaches, the Chicago-Sun-Times reported.
“We were sorry to learn about the unfortunate incident at the reptile store in Florida and our hearts go out to the gentleman’s friends and family,” park officials said Tuesday, according to the Sun-Times. “We are confident our eating contests are safe as the insects we use are raised specifically for human consumption. Insects are considered a delicacy in many cultures; however, even though this appears to be an isolated incident, we are reviewing the eating contests at our parks to ensure we maintain a safe environment for our guests.”
NBC News' James Eng and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
What a way to go .
momma awaz sayez 'stupad ez az stupad daz'
He looked like a cockroach, maybe he died out of remorse for eating relatives.
Gives a whole new meaning to the old adage, you are what you eat!
This must really be bugging the doctors!
I sense a Darwin award pending.
Perhaps the alien roach from Men in Black couldn't stand to see anymore relatives consumed so he zapped poor Archbold.
He ate one whole and it took revenge.
From the article: “Very few [human] cultures tend to eat cockroaches because they store large amounts of uric acid and nitrogenous waste.
Yeah....that's why. Every time I crave a cockroach I remember my mother's words. "Honey...don't eat that it contains large amounts of uric acid and nitrogenous waste."
So hard to resist though. Thanks Mom!
I would hate to do the autopsy on him. I feel bad for his family and friends but...yeesh...
I always said, roaches are for smokin', not eatin'!
One distinguishing characteristic of cockroaches is that they will eat anything, and so, apparently, will some humans. Human cockroaches is what my older brother used to call such people.
Platitude of the day: At least he died doing something he loved.
This is a perfect example of why Romney is staying close in the state of Florida.
darwin award indeed...
this idiot was trying to win a python and has a 7 year old daugther?
perhaps if there is a GOD, he took this man out before his stupid could endanger his child.
And If there is a God...I think this would make for a good story to tell St. Peter at the pearly gates..."So Mr. Archbold, how exactly did you die, again?"
Of course, he could be in line behind the guy who shoved a rubber hose up his azz, so his friends could pour alcohol directly into his rectum...
Of course fifteen gays behind him, holding their anal passage told Saint Peter: "we didn't know being @!$%#ed in ass would kill us" !!!!!
And to think...this guy actually had a woman make love to him. (The article does not state if the 7yr. old child is adopted).....I wonder where they went out for dinner during their 'courtship'. It HAD to have been a place that served a LOT of alcohol.
EVERYONE looks better at 2am. LOL!
@JUDGE JUDY....Grow-up Bill
Is this a joke?
are there really cockroach eating "experts"?
Yes, around here we call them "spiders".
This one is just too inviting for a nasty comment. I am sorry for his daughter. While I do believe in and sometimes envy adventure seekers there is just something masochistic about this event. Even hotdog gobblers punish their bodies in the name of adventure. As a shrink I can confidently state that some underlying deep insecurity led this man toward extreme antics. So he now has been doubly whacked by the circumstances of his life. When you have children you may want to avoid extremes of any behavior. Sad.
Avoiding extremes of any behavior is good at all times, children or not. You're the shrink, Gio, am I right or what?
Roaches aside, extremes are what makes life exciting, and there are plenty of us seeking excitement..... and I don't need a shrink to affirm that!
Unfortunately this disgusting feat and resulting death is not a joke!
I'm sure our thread shrink would say something like:
"Thrill-seeking behavior is indicative of another deep-seated need that is being unfulfilled."
But I follow your point Auzzie - a little 'thrill' now and then does break up the day-to-day and keep things interesting.
My guess is that his death is related to the super worms. He probably ate some that were still alive in his stomach, and they can bite very hard -- perhaps hard enough to cause gastric bleeding.
"Super worms"??? Do they come from Krypton? Didn't know worms had mouths....
Super worms are not earthworms. They're the larvae of the darkling beetle, and they do have mouths and they do bite. They're fed to different kinds of lizards, which is why they're sold by many reptile stores.
You just made me gag and cringe Mae! Lol!
I agree, although the roaches could have also played a part. I haven't handled a discoid roach, but I suspect that their wings and carapaces are rather sharp, like normal roaches. If you stuff yourself really full of them, the pressure against the stomach wall could lead to perforation. That and bites from the giant meal worms. A few bugs would get coated in mucus and killed by acid, but eating too many at once overwhelms those defenses. Eat your bugs in moderation, people.....
Words to live by...
Everyone should know that eating too much can make you sick, and sick can make you die. There is no need for experts. Eating gross roaches and worms only double your chances of dying. Cause of death: stupidity.
I can't believe it. "and the grand prize was a python". The same pythons that are breeding, colonizing, destroying wildlife, costing 100s of thousands of dollars if not more in taxpayer money.
Why isn't there a law against non-native wildlife!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I'm sick of paying for these people's bullsheet wants. I wants a python so I'll eat a bunch of bugs and then when i'm sick of it I'll let it go in the swamp.........
Don't worry. The story doesn't mention it, but the guy was planning on eating the python for desert. Your eco system will be intact.
Keep your shorts on Mary, many pythons max out at 2-3 ft and don't live in the swamps if let loose. The larger pythons that are a problem have already been banned from sale and possesion without a permit. If you want to ban non-native wildlife, you can start with house cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, parrots, etc. etc., the list goes on.
Climb down off that box into some fresh air!
Don't forget to ban all humans except the Native Indians, Pacific Islanders, and Mexicans. Those other humans "are breeding, colonozing, destroying wildlife, costing 100s of thousands of dollars if not more in taxpayer money."
sillyboi21,
None of those you mentioned are "natives" either. They have simply been in North American longer than Europeans.
And Mexicans? Are you kidding? Get a basic education. Really.
Not the same python it was a ball python. This type of python only grows to 5 feet 6 at the most and is not a threat to anything that is not a rat or a mouse. Easily eaten by a hawk eagle or gator not a threat at all.
And it's unconscionable that live animals would be given as prizes in a contest. That's illegal in many areas.
It was a pet shop, not a kids fair. The contestants all wanted the 'prize'.
Folks, I do believe we have our 2012 Darwin Award winner!
I hope I use my brains to plan a decent natural death...
Not likely to be a Darwin award. Those generally go out to people that do something extremely stupid to get themselves killed. Dying from an allergic reaction (most likely cause) doesn't really qualify unless you know you have an allergy to something and decide to eat that something on a dare. Then it would be a Darwin award.
"The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who accidentally remove themselves from it..."
I'd say he's a prime candidate for a Darwin Award!!!
Um, I think this would qualify...
Nope, the fact that he has a daughter disqualifies him from getting a Darwin award. In any case, it is a sad story.
As noted, this idiot is not eligible for a Darwin as he already reproduced, but at least he can't contribute any further to the gene pool. It is to be sincerely hoped that his young daughter has an incredibly smart mother, through not likely, to counteract all his idiot DNA. This poor, poor little lambie is going need all the support and compassion in the world.
Are you sure the Romney Campaign isn't this year's winner?
riverboy, your comment makes YOU the winner.
Darwinism...
Maybe this was just nature's way of cleansing idiots from the gene pool.
Mary, the snake was a ball python, which is not the type of python breeding in the Florida swamps. They are much smaller and are very docile.
The ball python was only the second prize.
The grand prize was a female ivory ball python.
I just wonder, who would have open mouth kissed this guy, after learning about his "hobby"?
Okay...that was an ewwwwwww!
Probably his wife, who eats rats and flies. Birds of a feather...or maybe it should be freaks of a feather.
I'm guessing he died because he ate too many cockroaches.
I'm guessing the cockroaches weren't properly taken care of.
I'm guessing he died of stupidity...
Most likely an allergy, like shellfish allergies. It's just that most people find out about their shellfish allergies without eating enough to kill them.
Everyone knows that, when you win a cockroach eating contest, you really are losing. There are no good cockroaches. They're bugs for cripes sake.
What about the worms? Everyone keeps focusing on the cockroaches when in fact the dude ate a bunch of worms, too. Do they, too, have a history of allergic reaction or bacterial infection?
It must be Romney's fault.
Possible this time, same genetic family as the cockroach and worms.
How many times are the going to run this article before the report comes out. Really...front page. How about something on .... oh ... say Libya.
Libya is a SHole and we should stay out. The End. Next story....
This warrants a comment but...I'm speechless.
Proof that one can be "grossed out" to death?
A few things have me wondering...cockroaches probably have sixteen billion bacterial cells, they will eat anything, including human feces...that's why they have survived for eons...for one of these cells to get into the human anatomy, you only need to figure out which organs they will attach themselves to ---start from there --- secondly, there's the stupidity factor --- I know someone once said --- genius has limitations, but stupidity is boundless...this is beyond stupid --- he belongs now to the hall of fame of idiots...he'll probably be in that show "A 1001 Ways to Die" --- I don't know how long he lived after he ate this disgusting insect --- but my guess is not right away --- maybe the cockroach eggs allowed themselves to exist in his stomach before they started hatching...they had a suitable nesting site to feed into his system.
Jennifer,
According to the article it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. A severe allergic reaction leading to anaphylactic shock is the only logical explanation for his death. And the allergic reaction could have been to either the meal worms or the roaches
Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped.
Elbert Hubbard
It says he died right outside the shop after ingesting...
Mr. Archbold died of a terminal case of "dumbass".
Darwin worthy?
Contests like this are insane. Remember the woman who died of water intoxication in a contest sponsored by a radio station to see who could drink the most water?
To Mae --- you are right --- you can die of too much water ----
And these people vote... Oh well, probably one less Republican..
I belive republicans don't eat roaches. Those are democrats.
The republicans are the roaches and yeah, the democrats are going to eat them alive.
Seriously, people. Does EVERY thing come down to politics? I am not at all sure that he was the dumb one...geez you guys!
This gives me the heebie-jeebies on so many levels. It's a tragedy for sure, but good lord - eating live bugs in order to win a snake? Sounds like a frat-boy contest gone bad.
Like why didn't he just buy a python? I would never eat worms or bugs if I want something, I just go shopping! I guess that never occurred to him.
I think the guy might have died of 'Stupidity'. There is a lot of that going around these days.
Oh if only Stupidity were both painful and fatal... but we can't possibly ever get that lucky.
Actually, insects are pretty nutritious. They are also regarded as delicacies in some cultures. Personally, I do not like cockroaches, but I understand that my aversion to them is a cultural bias.
These particular roaches were raised in captivity, so they were never exposed to sewage, feces or the other disgusting things we generally associate them with.
In a survival situation, say in North American forests in the Wintertime, you would be better off eating grubs and other insects than rabbit or dear. The insects contain more carbohydrates, which you body would need to generate warmth. Rabbits and deer are very low in that regard.
SingBiker, that doesn't account then for the Eskimos, at least the ones of 100 years ago, living on fermented fish and seal meat and blubber.
"Why isn't there a law against non-native wildlife!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"
By non-native wildlife, do you mean creatures such as feral cats who have cost the state of Florida millions of dollars?