This ain’t Disney and it sure ain’t Betty Crocker. It’s here again and it’s better than ever. The Insect Horror Film Festival has wormed its way back this year with a couple of movies, a petting zoo and an interesting array of snacks.

Sound a little odd? Well, you better believe it is. Where else could you have some chocolate covered crickets, pet a hissing cockroach and see a classic horror film about genetically altered insects?

On the menu for the insect tasting event are peanut butter bug squares, chocolate chirpies (chocolate covered crickets), insect toffee and fat free banana worm bread.

All the insects are collected from clean sources, then frozen to preserve freshness and finally dry roasted so they can be used to make the wonderful dishes to be served.

A piece of advice — get there early because according to Pat Miller, a coordinator for the lecture programs at the university, these snacks go fast. Dr. Donald Lewis, a professor of Entomology, said the bugs taste like whatever is surrounding the insect.

Before the flicks, check out the insect petting zoo. Along with the three inch long hissing cockroaches, you’ll find aquatic insects and a butterfly tent where you can walk around with the butterflies. Also, before the films there will be insect cartoons.

Tonight’s movie will be The Swarm, and Saturday they will be showing Damnation Alley. Each movie will be introduced by Lewis, who will discuss the portrayal of insects and scientists in film.

The Swarm, starring Michael Caine, Patty Duke and Henry Fonda, is one of the movies about “Killer Bees” that came from the 70s.

The starring cast has to fight to save Houston from the terrible fate which science has accidentally created. This movie is on Lewis’ top 10 favorite bug movies.

Damnation Alley, made in 1978, is similar to The Swarm in that science fumbles once again. In this case, atomic warfare results in creating gigantic mutant scorpions and insects.

If you’re the type which doesn’t like horror films, this is a must see. “The poor special effects aren’t convincing,” Lewis said. “So as a horror movie it suffers. It becomes comical instead.”

Beth Butin, an undergraduate student in entomology and the president of the Entomology Club, coordinated most of the event. From making sure decent movies were found to finding the artist to make the design for the t-shirts and flyers, she has led this event with true style.

The best part about the whole event is the free admission. The Insect Horror Film Festival, sponsored by the Iowa State University Entomology Club, starts tonight and runs through Saturday, Sept. 28. The South Ballroom in the Memorial Union is where you’ll find the collage of creepy crawlers starting at 6p.m. From 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. there will be the insect tasting events, petting zoo and insect cartoons. And at 7:30 p.m. the films start rolling.