Mezcal worm
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The mezcal worms found in some bottles of mezcal from the Mexican state of Oaxaca, are one of two types of insect larvae.
The gusano rojo, red worm or chinicuiles, is the caterpillar of the Hypopta agavis moth. See: maguey worm.
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 infest the yuca plant and certain species of maguey. They are not related to edible maguey worms of central Mexico. The weevil is a pest that can severely damage maguey and agave plants, although more by infecting the plant with harmful bacteria than damage done by the weevil or its larvae. In some cases up to 40% of a maguey harvest has been be lost to weevil infestations. Infection-resistant varieties of the plant are being developed. [1]
Picudo larvae may be roasted and eaten, they are a seasonal specialty of markets in southeastern Mexico.
Although the custom is relatively recent, larvae are used frequently by several brands of mezcal to give flavor to the drink. A whole larva is deposited in the bottle, normally after having previously been cured in pure alcohol. It is not known exactly where and when the practice was originated; supposedly it was Jacobo Lozano Páez, the embotellador of Matatlán mezcal, who first introduced the practice of adding larva to mezcal.
This article borrows material from the article Scyphophorus acupunctatus in the Spanish Wikipedia
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