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A mezcal worm is an insect larva found in some types of mezcal produced in Oaxaca, Mexico. The larva is a red maguey worm, the caterpillar of the Comadia redtenbacheri moth, usually called chinicuil or gusano rojo ("red worm"). The red worm is typically considered tastier than a white maguey worm.
History
Although the custom is relatively recent, larvae are used by several brands of mezcal to give flavor to the drink. In 1950 Jacobo Lozano Paez first introduced the practice of adding larvae to mezcal.
Other kinds of worms
The other variety of "worm" in mezcal is the larva of a weevil known as picudo del agave, Scyphophorus acupunctatus, the agave snout weevil, that infests certain species of yucca and maguey. They are not related to edible maguey worms.
The weevil is a pest that can severely damage agave plants by eating the plant to death from the inside. If only a few infest the plant, they can still carry and infect the plant with harmful bacteria leading to plant death. In some cases, up to 40% of a maguey harvest has been lost to weevil infestations. Infection-resistant varieties of the plant are being developed.
Picudo larvae may be roasted and eaten; they are a seasonal specialty of markets in southeastern Mexico.
See also
- Entomophagy in humans – Practice of eating insects in human cultures
- Insects as food – Use of insects as food for humans
- Maguey worm – Edible caterpillars that infest maguey
References
- ^ "The Straight Dope: Why is there a worm in bottles of tequila?". 2 July 1999.
- "No One Wants to Dig for Worms Anymore". Eater.com.
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