Insect fighting
Encyclopedia
Insect fighting is an activity involving insect
s (and sometimes, arachnids, centipedes, millipedes and mollusks). It is practiced in areas in China
, Japan, Vietnam
, and Thailand
. Insect fighting is a traditional Chinese
pastime that dates back to the Tang Dynasty
of 618-907 and had long been mainly practiced by aristocrats, senior officials and wealthy merchants. It is also a casual activity for youth in western countries and is known colloquially as "bugfighting".
, Rhinoceros Beetle
, Kabutomushi
, Jerusalem Cricket
, and Goliath Beetle
, as their sheer size and jumping ability make them formidable opponents. They are trained by their owners to become stronger and more aggressive. A training method involves using supplemental feedings of sugar from sugarcane (their favorite food and nesting areas). After the training is complete, the owners will take them to the designated fighting arena and the insects fight each other.
The most common insects used in China are grasshopper
s or praying mantis (mainly Chinese Mantis
). Sometimes the fight will be between two different type of insects fighting in a makeshift "arena".
Insect fighters claim that their activity provides free entertainment while removing pests from the environment.
With beetles
, a small noisemaker is used that duplicates the female's mating call (fighting beetles are male). Getting beetles to fight requires patience and is much different than other types of animal fighting. The loser is pushed onto its back by the winner, pushed off of a tree limb, or a predetermined area, or is killed.
The fight can take place on a log, stump, or circle drawn in the dirt, anywhere that is a small ring. Fights are won either by one insect pushing the other out of the ring, one of them running out of the ring (which rarely happens), or one of them being flipped over during the fight. With beetles, it is extremely rare for one to die during a fight.
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s (and sometimes, arachnids, centipedes, millipedes and mollusks). It is practiced in areas in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Japan, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Insect fighting is a traditional Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
pastime that dates back to the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
of 618-907 and had long been mainly practiced by aristocrats, senior officials and wealthy merchants. It is also a casual activity for youth in western countries and is known colloquially as "bugfighting".
Overview
Individuals may hoard many different type of insects for the fights. Some of the most popular are the Stag BeetleStag beetle
Stag beetles are a group of about 1,200 species of beetle in the family Lucanidae, presently classified in four subfamilies Some species grow up to over 12 cm , but most are about 5 cm .-Overview:...
, Rhinoceros Beetle
Rhinoceros beetle
The Rhinoceros Beetles or Rhino Beetles are a subfamily of the scarab beetle family . Other common names – some for particular groups of rhino beetles – are for example Hercules beetles, unicorn beetles or horn beetles...
, Kabutomushi
Japanese rhinoceros beetle
The Japanese rhinoceros beetle, Japanese horned beetle, or , Allomyrina dichotoma, is a species of rhinoceros beetle found in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China...
, Jerusalem Cricket
Jerusalem cricket
Jerusalem crickets, are a group of large, flightless insects of the genus Stenopelmatus. They are native to the western United States and parts of Mexico....
, and Goliath Beetle
Goliathus
The Goliath beetles are among the largest insects on Earth, if measured in terms of size, bulk and weight. They are members of subfamily Cetoniinae, within the family Scarabaeidae. Goliath beetles can be found in many of Africa's tropical forests, where they feed primarily on tree sap and fruit...
, as their sheer size and jumping ability make them formidable opponents. They are trained by their owners to become stronger and more aggressive. A training method involves using supplemental feedings of sugar from sugarcane (their favorite food and nesting areas). After the training is complete, the owners will take them to the designated fighting arena and the insects fight each other.
The most common insects used in China are grasshopper
Grasshopper
The grasshopper is an insect of the suborder Caelifera in the order Orthoptera. To distinguish it from bush crickets or katydids, it is sometimes referred to as the short-horned grasshopper...
s or praying mantis (mainly Chinese Mantis
Chinese mantis
The Chinese mantis is a species of praying mantis. Originating from China, they were first introduced to North America around 1895 as a source of pest control. Since then, the species has spread throughout much of southern New England, and the Northeast United States, and ootheca can be purchased...
). Sometimes the fight will be between two different type of insects fighting in a makeshift "arena".
Insect fighters claim that their activity provides free entertainment while removing pests from the environment.
With beetles
Rhinoceros beetle
The Rhinoceros Beetles or Rhino Beetles are a subfamily of the scarab beetle family . Other common names – some for particular groups of rhino beetles – are for example Hercules beetles, unicorn beetles or horn beetles...
, a small noisemaker is used that duplicates the female's mating call (fighting beetles are male). Getting beetles to fight requires patience and is much different than other types of animal fighting. The loser is pushed onto its back by the winner, pushed off of a tree limb, or a predetermined area, or is killed.
The fight can take place on a log, stump, or circle drawn in the dirt, anywhere that is a small ring. Fights are won either by one insect pushing the other out of the ring, one of them running out of the ring (which rarely happens), or one of them being flipped over during the fight. With beetles, it is extremely rare for one to die during a fight.
See also
Japanese Bug Fights- Cricket fightingCricket fightingCricket fighting is a blood sport involving the fighting of male crickets. Unlike most blood sports such as bullfighting and cockfighting, however, cricket fighting rarely causes injuries to the animals...
- Spider fightingSpider fightingThe sport of spider fighting occurs in different forms in several areas of the world. Among them are the Philippines, Japan, and Singapore. The fights that occur in the Philippines and in Japan are staged between females of various species of web weavers. Female spiders will kill a rival if the...