The real thing: strip-shaped, composed of two parts connected by the worm body and the mycorrhiza, the whole length of about 9-12 cm, the body of the worm like a dried silkworm, about 3-6 cm, about 0.4-0.7 cm thick, dark yellow, medium yellowish-brown, rough in appearance, the ring pattern is obvious, there are 20-30 rings, abdominal feet 8 pairs, located in the middle of the body of the worm, the 4 pair of The abdomen has 8 pairs of legs, 4 pairs located in the middle of the body, brittle and easy to break, and the cross section is full of heart, white and slightly yellow. The mycelium grows from the head of the insect, curved stick-like, slightly larger in the upper part, gray-brown or black-brown, the section is hollow, powder white. The taste is sweet and slightly bitter, slightly fishy.
Fakes: mostly for the Labiatae plant grass rockworm dry rhizome (also known as the ground silkworm), the shape of a spindle, the surface of light yellow to gray-yellow, links are obviously less than the real thing, only 2-11, abdominal footless, shaped like larvae, no pedestal, brittle texture, easy to break, white cross-section, powdery, tasted of the viscous mouth without the grass mushrooms aroma, taste slightly sweet. In addition, there are starch, flour, cornstarch, add a little gelatin, adjusted with coloring, pressed into the fake Cordyceps, some inserted in the body of the worm metal wire inferior Cordyceps, etc., should not be purchased.