When the grandchildren come calling, Grandmother looks for ways to entertain them. When the occasion is Easter, chocolate candy egg hunts often take center stage, among many other popular American family traditions.

But there is a lady who resides in the Glebe area of Mathews who created this year what could become a new tradition.

Mary-Alice Emerson, cruising the internet, came upon an article with pictures and directions for making fruit and vegetable bug treats.

“Immediately I thought this would maybe be a great alternative to so much Easter candy for our six grandchildren.”

To test the vegetable bugs, Mary-Alice made a tray of them for a group meeting at the Mathews Historical Museum. The tray went home empty. They were a culinary success.

When the Emerson family gathered at Easter, Mary-Alice made another tray of vegetable bugs and also gave the children the pleasure of making some bugs themselves. “Our grandchildren range in age from six to one. The one-year-old c...