Ground Beetle is the dried body of the larva of the ant lion, an animal of the ant lion family. Due to the extremely low number of ground beetles and the almost impossibility of artificial cultivation, its value is extremely high and naturally comes with a high price. It is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat malaria, boils, and other ailments. Now let's take a look at the efficacy, functions, and breeding methods of ground beetles.
Image of Ground Beetle
【Efficacy and Functions of Ground Beetles】
The scientific name of ground beetle is "ant lion". The main value of ant lion lies in its medicinal properties, which can be used to treat conditions such as hypertension, urinary tract stones, gallstones, osteomyelitis, vasculitis, otitis media, and so on.
The medicinal value of ground beetles is very high, and therefore, they come with a high price. Live ground beetles can be sold for over 4000 yuan per kilogram.
When the ground beetle is dried and ground into powder, an appropriate amount can be applied to the affected area to treat knife wounds. In folk medicine, this insect is often ground into powder to treat tinnitus or otitis media.
Ground beetles have a pungent and salty taste, warm nature, and toxicity. They have the effects of diuresis and detoxification, and are mainly used to treat urolithiasis, malaria, boils, and scrofula.
Treatment of malaria: Take eleven ground beetles, mix with alcohol and swallow. Take it half an hour before the onset of malaria. For chronic malaria, it should be taken for one week.
Image of Ground Beetle
【Growth Habits of Ground Beetles】
The true face of ground beetles is not easily seen by ordinary people. They like to "hide" in the soft sandy soil at the base of old houses and cliffs. They can often be found in the sandy soil at the base of "old houses or caves" (cliffs) in the countryside of Meitan.
Ground beetles usually hide deep in the sandy soil. They create funnel-shaped traps in sandy soil, where they can catch and feed on mosquitoes, flies, and other small insects.
They lie in ambush with great cunning. Once a small insect accidentally falls into the trap, it will be pierced and sucked to death by the sharp proboscis composed of its mandibles, just like a "vampire" in a movie!
Its adult form is called "ant lion". It may look familiar, as it often flies into houses without any reason at night and flies around the chandelier. It turns out that it is the adult form of the "ant lion".
Image of Ground Beetle
【Breeding Methods of Ground Beetles】
Currently, the number of these insects is very low, and they are almost impossible to cultivate artificially, so their value is extremely high.
Ground beetles prefer sandy areas and are commonly found in sandy soil at the base of cliffs.
Ground beetles can be captured throughout the year, and they are often sieved from the habitat of ant lions in summer and autumn. After capture, they are lightly fried over low heat until the body expands.
Ground beetles have a light and crisp body. They have a slight fishy smell and a slightly salty taste. The best ones are those that are large, intact, brownish-yellow, light and expanded, and without sand or mud.
The adult form of ground beetles lives in grassy areas and flies mostly at dusk. The larvae live in dry sandy soil, creating funnel-shaped burrows and lurking at the bottom of the burrows, waiting for small insects to fall in and then preying on them. They are distributed in South China, Taiwan, Sichuan, and other regions.
