Comadia redtenbacheri (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) and Aegiale hesperiaris (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), two important edible insects of Agave salmiana (Asparagales: Asparagaceae): a review

This review focuses on the characteristics of the life-cycle, and the nutritional properties, preservation, and marketing of Comadia redtenbacheri (Hammerschmidt) (red agave worm) and Aegiale hesperiaris (Walker) (white maguey worm) as alimentary options with nutritional benefits for humans. These insects are widely consumed in Mexico, the highest-ranking country worldwide in terms of insect diversity, and a place where entomophagy has been practiced for thousands of years, with the red and white maguey worms standing out as two insect pests of the Agave salmiana Otto ex Salm-Dyck. These insects are consumed in their larval stage in various culinary dishes by local people and foreign tourists due to their exquisite, exotic flavor, high protein and fat content, easy digestion, and high content of essential minerals for food metabolism. These properties make them a food source that offers consumers significant health benefits, but their production is seasonal and knowledge of their life-cycle scarce, so production under greenhouse conditions is unfeasible to date, though studies are ongoing to generate mass reproduction strategies under sustainable greenhouse conditions that would promote the incorporation of these insects into functional foods. For maguey worms to become a viable food option, consumers must be informed of the benefits of adding them to their diet and learn how best to integrate them into their foods. Legislation is also required to regulate their production, consumption, and health benefits.