Chinese herbal medicine Jinsaoniu is a toxic medicinal material, also known as Diguniu, Daotuiche, Diguniu, etc. It can be used for both treating diseases and nourishing the body. Do you know the animal form of Jinsaoniu?
Introduction to Jinsaoniu
The scientific name of Jinsaoniu is Antlion, also known as Sleepworm, Diguniu, Shagu Niu, Diguang, and Shamao.
The larvae are used as medicine and are mainly used to treat nephrolithiasis, sand impregnation, malaria, abdominal tumors, scrofula tuberculosis, and chronic non-healing ulcers.
The larvae of Antlion are found in funnel-shaped burrows, which are very attractive to children. When we were young, we often used small branches to dig out Antlion and hold them in our hands. It was itchy.
Environment of Jinsaoniu
Jinsaoniu is often found under dry eaves or cultivated land. They prefer sandy loam or fine clay soil.
Digging out Antlion became a popular competition at that time, and Antlion could be easily dug out from shallow sand burrows.
The funnel-shaped burrows are their hunting tools, and the small insects that fall into the burrows are their food.
Animal Form of Jinsaoniu
The body of the Yellow-legged Antlion is 32mm long with a wingspan of 73mm. It has a slender body, resembling a dragonfly. The head is wider than the prothorax, with two brown compound eyes, a black head, yellow mouthparts, black club-shaped antennae, and a yellow stalk segment.
The prothorax is yellow, with two wide brown longitudinal stripes on the back, and yellow long hairs on the prothorax. The mesothorax and metathorax are black, noticeably larger than the prothorax. The legs are yellow and have yellow long hairs. The wings are transparent with a faint iridescent color, and the wing membrane is weak. The shape and size of the forewings and hindwings are similar, and the wing veins are yellow. The abdomen is dark brown.
The larvae resemble spiders, with a body length of 6-18mm and a color ranging from sandy yellow to dirty white. They have black-brown markings and scattered and clustered black-brown stiff hairs on their bodies. They have a pair of pincer-like mandibles on the head, no wings, 3 pairs of thoracic legs, and a relatively large abdomen.
