The Worm in the Bottle

Hi, my name is Rosa,

I am not a Worm. I’m a moth larva called a gusano de maguey. Maguey worms are one of two species of edible caterpillars that infest maguey (Agave americana) and Agave tequilana plants.

I burrow into the heart of the Agave plant that is used to make Tequila and Mezcal. When I get older I turn into a moth and fly away to make baby gusano. I am so tired of all the stories of my family. The people say we are put in a bottle of tequila which is as much bull as saying a pinata is a gum machine. We are found only in mezcal. Tequila is a type of mezcal. We are both made from the heart of the Agave. 

The Agave plant is sometimes called the Century Plant because it only blooms once every 10 years. Well, that isn’t exactly 100 years but those Norte Americanos think they know everything about everything. Silly people even think eating my cousins will make them hallucinate or will act as an aphrodisiac. Well, let me tell you a little more about the Agave Worm.

 You probably think this is some ancient Mexican tradition, right? Not unless your idea of ancient is 1950. We even know who invented the practice. Various reasons are given for it, but I say it all boils down to. "Let’s see if we can get the gringos to eat worms". In 1950, Mexico City entrepreneur Jacobo Lozano Paez hit on the idea of putting a worm in each bottle as a marketing gimmick. Some gimmick, Huh?