The Benefits and Effects of Hornet Wine and How to Make It
Hornet wine is a liquor made from hornets (ground wasps) as the raw material, and it first emerged from folk legend. So what benefits and effects does hornet wine have? What methods are there for making hornet wine? Let us take a look together below!
I. The Benefits and Effects of Hornet Wine
1. Hornet wine has a very long history of use in China, and detailed written records already existed as far back as the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The ancients believed that this medicinal liquor could not only be taken orally but could also be applied to the face, serving to beautify and nourish the skin.
2. Hornet wine has a very good nourishing effect. After taking it, it dispels wind and removes dampness and strengthens yang and tonifies the kidneys, and with long-term consistent use the body's constitution will also become better and better.
3. Hornets contain a certain amount of hornet venom, and after this substance enters the body it can very well relieve joint pain, and at the same time it has a good therapeutic effect on some conditions such as rheumatic bone pain and arthritis.
4. Hornet wine has a very good nourishing effect on the body. Taking it normally can relieve fatigue, and after entering the body it speeds up the general blood circulation, making it very suitable for people whose work is intense or who work in relatively harsh environments.
II. How to Make Hornet Wine
1. The raw material of hornet wine is hornets. Before steeping the liquor you must first capture the hornets: put on protective clothing, then use the method of smoking the nest, and after five minutes you can obtain the stunned hornets. Before steeping, the hornets must be sorted, with different sizes kept separate; for example, adult wasps and young wasps must be separated, and pupae and comb casing must also be separated, so that different kinds of hornet wine can be made.
2. The liquor chosen is best between 30 and 40 degrees, and must not exceed 40 degrees, otherwise the bee venom may be destroyed. Each kind of wasp differs in size, so the number steeped also differs. For the Chinese giant hornet, only 15 to 20 are needed per jin of liquor, while the black-tailed hornet needs 20 to 30, the large yellow-waisted hornet and the yellow-legged hornet need 50 to 60, and the black-bellied hornet even needs 80 to 100.
3. Hornet wine must be steeped using live wasps, otherwise dead wasps have no venom and steeping the liquor is then of little meaning. After steeping for six months it can be drunk, but if you want the hornet wine to have a good effect you must wait longer; generally you have to wait until after two years for it to sink to the bottom of the bottle, and by then the color will also be a bit darker. After steeping, it should be drunk up as soon as possible and kept well sealed to avoid spoilage.
Extended: Complete List of Hornet Species
1. Black-tailed hornet: adults of the black-tailed hornet can be seen in all seasons except winter, and it lives in low- and mid-altitude mountain areas. It builds its nest underground, the colony size is small, and its aggressiveness is weak. Body length 25-32 mm; its greatest feature is that the rear half of the abdomen is black, with no similar species.
2. Large yellow-waisted hornet: the large yellow-waisted hornet has a body length of 25-30 mm, a long body shape, a black thorax notum, brown lateral shoulders, a bright yellow front half of the abdomen, a black rear half, and narrow wings that are brown or transparent. It is distributed from flat ground to low- and mid-altitude mountain areas, building nests in thickets or under the eaves of houses.
3. Yellow-legged hornet: the yellow-legged hornet has a body length of 18-25 mm, and its main feature is that the front half of each leg is yellow or yellowish-white. Adults can be seen in all seasons except winter, and it lives in low- and mid-altitude mountain areas. It builds its nest at the tops of tall trees, the colony is highly aggressive, and there are often records of people being stung to death.
4. Black-bellied hornet: the black-bellied hornet has a body length of 18-28 mm, and its main feature is that the abdomen is almost entirely black. Adults can be seen in all seasons except winter, and it lives in low- and mid-altitude mountain areas. It builds its nest at the tops of tall trees, the colony is the most aggressive, and it has the most records of people being stung to death.
5. Chinese giant hornet: the Chinese giant hornet is the largest hornet in China, with a body length of 28-40 mm, an orange-yellow head, and a thorax that is almost entirely black. Adults can be seen in all seasons except winter, and it lives in low- and mid-altitude mountain areas. It builds its nest underground, the colony is highly aggressive, and there are also records of people being stung to death.
6. The false giant hornet: the false giant hornet has a body length of 22-32 mm, and its appearance closely resembles the Chinese giant hornet, but its body is smaller. The head is light yellowish-brown. The thorax notum is dark brown. The abdomen is dark blackish-brown, and the terminal segment is golden yellow, similar to the Chinese giant hornet.