During the Colonial period, the main economic activity in the region was silver and gold mining and the best paid workers were miners. While not strictly covered by the AOC, these products are excellent and worth trying whenever available. The regional varietes of Mezcal came around 1800. Nowadays a lot of Mezcal is being served in mezcaladas , mixed with sodas and fruit juices. Grown -up worm is a small brown butterfly of about 15 mm length.
Males have body covered with wings.
The larvae are 25 to 30 mm long, up to 5 mm wide and are bright coral colored. Because of the flavor and fragrance that the worm gives to Mezcal, salt and salsas, it is very much in demand and difficult to find even in season. Therefore, some producers started to use another variety, Atrovirens , a white worm that inhabits leaves. The red is found in roots or the head of maguey. Both types are different in smell, color and flavor.