ONE man's love of insects became both creepy and crawly after admitting he 'dated' a cockroach called Lisa for over a year, fantasising about having sex with her.

But the relationship took a dark turn when Lisa died and her 'partner' ate her remains.

8 Yuta Shinohara, pictured here holding grasshoppers, claims to have 'dated' his pet cockroach Lisa Credit: AsiaWire

8 Yuta says Lisa was his 'fist love' - but he ate her when she died Credit: AsiaWire

Depsite claiming the relationship was just platonic, Yuta Shinohara, 25, owned up to fantasising about having sex with his six-legged partner.

He either imagined himself to be insect-sized or for Lisa to be human sized.

Lisa eventually died and Yuta, a keen advocate of farming insects for food, ate her.

Yuta is an entomophagist, someone who eats insects as an alternative, more environmentally friendly source of food.

'FIRST LOVE'

He is well known for organising bug-eating contests in his native Japan.

But this passion took a strange turn when he bought a live, African farm-reared cockroach which he named Lisa.

In a video interview with media group Asian Boss, Yuta claimed Lisa was his "first love" and that he enjoyed her company so much that he felt they could communicate with each other.

And as an entomophagist, it was only natural that he would eat her after she died, although he says he did so "with reverence."

MOST READ IN WORLD NEWS SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER Chinese clubbers dance in Wuhan as Covid ground zero has 'NO cases' SCHUEY BLOW Michael Schumacher in a 'vegetative state and not responding to his family' HORROR FALL 'Inseparable' pals die in 100ft waterfall plunge moments after posting this pic CLASH OF THE TITANS Killer whales 'ripping open' great whites to eat hearts and TESTICLES WEE WILLY INKY Bloke tattoos entire body including his todger - and claims girls 'love it' BUG BOMBSHELL Chinese defector virologist PUBLISHES explosive 'proof' covid is man-made

He added: "So now Lisa lives in my heart and continues living as part of my body."

Eating insects is becoming more popular as an alternative to meat because less land is used for farming and less damage is caused to the environment as a result.

Yuta said he does eat other food but there was a wide variety of tastes among edible insects.

For instance, caterpillars which eat cherry blossom taste like rice cake, he added.

8 Yuta prepares dishes using insects Credit: AsiaWire

8 Yuta organises insect-eating events in Japan Credit: AsiaWire

8 Lisa in a 2015 video posted by Yuta Credit: AsiaWire

8 Yuta says Lisa was his 'first love' Credit: AsiaWire

8 Yuta with his friends Credit: AsiaWire

8 Yuta enjoys eating bugs as an alternative food source Credit: AsiaWire

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.