In rivers and rice fields, there is a kind of ferocious insect, and different places have different names for it, and "water knows" is probably the most widely known name.
The scientific name of this insect is "Ota soft-shelled turtle", which belongs to the family Hemiptera and Opossum bugs. The average body length of the turtle is about 7 to 9 cm, but there are some larger individuals that can grow up to 12 cm. As an aquatic insect, the field turtle is very strong in combat, and it can be said that it is a rare opponent in the water, not only often preying on prey larger than its own size, but also sometimes hunting equally aggressive snakes, and one of their favorite foods is frogs.
Ota soft-shelled turtles have been called water because of their resemblance to Zhizhi, but their habits are very different from those of Zhizhi.
Normally, the turtle likes to lie quietly in the water, sometimes hiding under the leaves to hide from others, and when a prey appears, they will use their powerful front paws to grasp the prey firmly, and then inject the prey with a secretion through a needle in the mouth. This secretion of the field turtle has the effect of anesthesia and corrosion, after the injection, the prey will soon lose its ability to move, some organs in the body will also be corroded, some prey will die soon, even if it does not die, there is absolutely no possibility of escape, and the next is the moment when the field turtle slowly enjoys a good meal.
It is precisely because the secretions in the body of the field turtle have a strong lethality that for some friends in the south, this thing is simply a childhood nightmare.
If you are accidentally bitten by a field turtle in a river or in a rice field, it is very painful, and the wound is difficult to heal. Generally speaking, there will be swelling in the bite area that lasts for more than a week, and because of the severe pain, even walking will be affected, and if the wound is not cared for, it may ulcerate. It is said that some people will be cautious every time they enter the river and field after being bitten by a field turtle, and it is difficult to completely eliminate the psychological shadow over the years.
People hate the turtle not only because of its ugly appearance and its ability to bite, but also for one important reason: it is a pest of farmland.
The turtle itself does not destroy farmland, but its favorite food is frogs. As we all know, frogs are the natural guardians of rice fields, and have an inhibitory effect on many farmland pests, if the number of field turtles increases, the number of frogs will decrease sharply, so the farmland is also vulnerable to insect infestations. So when people find a field turtle, they either catch it and kill it, or they will pick it up and eat it. Can you eat field turtles? Yes, and it is said to taste good.
Some people who have eaten the turtle say that the insect is very delicious, and there is a lot of meat, even if you give it to a crab.
This is really true, because now a crab may not be able to exchange for a field turtle, because the price of a field turtle in the market has risen to twenty or thirty yuan a piece, and it is not very easy to buy. Why is this bug so valuable? Most likely related to the rapid decrease in numbers. As mentioned earlier, because the field turtle is a pest of rice fields, it will be killed by humans. In addition, although this insect looks vicious, but the requirements for the living environment are still quite high, if the water quality and environment of an area are difficult to meet the needs of field soft-shelled turtles, they will be difficult to survive, so now the number of field soft-shelled turtles in rivers and rice fields has decreased much less than a few decades ago.
However, the field soft-shelled turtles can now be cultivated in captivity, and in order to make their sales better, they have also been given a poetic name, called "osmanthus cicada".
The farmed osmanthus cicada can be used both for ornamental use and as food for the table, and with the rise of the farmed osmanthus cicada, cooking methods have gradually diversified. However, some people feel that the taste of osmanthus cicadas is a little strange and difficult to adapt, and it seems that whether it is good or not, you still have to try it yourself to know.