Insect fighting

Insect fighting is a blood sport involving insects. It is practised in areas in China and Thailand. There are people who train and fight their insects against other insects in underground fighting arenas. 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.Fact|date=July 2008 It is also a casual activity for youth in western countries and is known colloquialy as "bugfighting".Fact|date=July 2008

Structure

Individuals may hoard many different type of insects for the battles. Some of the most popular bugs are the Stag Beetle, Rhinoceros Beetle, Kabutomushi the Cricket and the 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. Beetle fighting is practised in the northern region of Thailand.

Insect fighters claim that their activity provides free entertainment while removing pests from the environment.Fact|date=July 2008

Training

A training method involves using supplemental feedings of sugar from sugarcane (their favorite food and nesting areas) to help the beetles grow bigger. After the training is complete, the owners will take them to the designated fighting arena and the bugs are forced to fight each other.Fact|date=July 2008

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 his back by the winner, pushed off of a limb, or a predetermined area.Fact|date=July 2008

Object

The fight can take place on a log, stump, or circle drawn in the dirt, anywhere that is a small ring. The ways to win these "battles" are by either one insect pushing the other out of the ring, one of them running out of the ring (which happens very rarely), or one of them dying while fighting.

Gambling

Spectators and owners can gamble on their own or other insects.

In culture

* In the Samurai Champloo episode "Gamblers and Gallantry" the character Mugen trains a stag beetle for combat by tying a large rock to it.
*The most common insect the Chinese use are grasshoppers or praying mantis (mainly Chinese Mantis). Sometimes the fight will be two different type of insects fighting in a make shift "arena".
* The movie Jarhead (film) contains one scene where U.S Marines battle scorpions in the desert (though scorpions are not insects).
*The Pokemon franchise finds its origins in this ancient pastime.

ee also

*Cricket fighting
*Spider fighting

External links

* [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200408/s1177771.htm ABC News: Police bust insect fighting gambling ring]