 Many mezcals will contain a "worm" (sometimes more than one) in the bottle. This is a marketing gimmick. The worm is actually the larvae of one of two kinds of insects. The most common type is the larvae of the agave snout weevil. The "red worm" or gusano rojo is the caterpillar of the Hypopta agavis moth, one of the several kinds of "maguey worm". The worm is found on the agave plant. The originator of this practice was a man named Jacobo Lozano Páez. In 1940, while tasting prepared agave, he and his partner found that the worm changed the taste of the agave. (Agave worms are sometimes found in the piña after harvesting). Brands of mezcal that contain the worm include 'Oro de Oaxaca', 'Gusano de Oro', 'Gusano Rojo', 'Monte Alban', and 'Dos Gusanos' (so named because each bottle contains two worms). When a worm is included this is known as 'Con Gusano', which means 'with worm.' Aside from its consumption with mezcal, the maguey worm is considered a delicacy in Mexico and can be found on some restaurant menus. The worm is harmless to consume and it is believed in certain traditions that doing this is beneficial to the spirit and locks in the vigour of mezcal. The use of the worm is exclusive to mezcal, the Mexican standards authority, NOM, prohibits adding insects or larvae to tequila.
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. 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.
The scorpion is another marketing gimmick that is associated with Mezcal. However unlike the worm the scorpion does not change the flavoring of the Mezcal. The stinger has been removed and the exo-skeleton is approved by the FDA as being no more harmful than any other food product that can be consumed.
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