Question: are the worms in tequila alive?
Answer: So, technically, it is a mezcal worm, not a tequila worm, because it is only found lying there dead in the bottom of a bottle of mezcal. To further complicate the matter, tequila is a special type of mezcal. Mezcal is any ol' type of agave liquor. ... The worm is a moth larva, gusano de maguey.