Hypopta agavis

Taxobox
name = "Hypopta agavis"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Lepidoptera
familia = Cossidae
genus = "Hypopta"
genus_authority = Hübner, 1820
species = "H. agavis"
binomial = "Hypopta agavis"

"Hypopta agavis", whose larvae are known in Spanish as "chilocuil", "chinicuil", or "tecol" , is a moth native to North America. Its larvae feed on the succulent leaves of the maguey, although they are not considered a plague, as they have been traditionally used as food in Mexican cuisine. The red-colored caterpillars are also known as "gusanos rojos", giving its name to a popular brand of mezcal; they are one of the two kinds of "worms" placed in bottles of mezcal, giving a unique color and flavor to the drink. The other, less appreciated ones, are the larvae of the agave snout weevil, "Scyphophorus acupunctatus".