What does cuetla taste like?

It has an intense smoked-bacon flavour, with earthy and vegetal notes recalling the fresh cuajinicuil leaves it feeds on. When fried in lard it acquires a crisp texture on the outside and creamy inside, with an aftertaste similar to chorizo or chicharrón with mineral tones.

How are cuetlas prepared?

They are purged 24 hours in water with salt and lime, roasted on a comal or fried in pork lard with garlic and onion. They are served in tacos with blue maize tortillas, green salsa and avocado, or ground in molcajete salsa with chile pasilla, chile guajillo and tomato, accompanying mountain memelas and tlacoyos.

When are cuetlas harvested?

The season is very short: only during July and August, when the caterpillars reach their last instar and descend from the trees to pupate in the ground. They are gathered by hand in the early hours of the day, with entire families travelling to the cuajinicuil forests of the Sierra Norte of Puebla, Guerrero and Oaxaca.

Where does the cuetla come from?

It is native to the cloud forests of the Sierra Norte of Puebla, where its greatest consumption is concentrated, as well as to mountain areas of Guerrero, Oaxaca and parts of Veracruz. Its collection is associated with Nahua, Totonac and Otomí cultures, and is a tradition that dates back at least to the Postclassic Mesoamerican period.

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Cuetla: edible caterpillar of the state of Puebla

What is it?

The cuetla is the caterpillar of the moth Arsenura armida, also known as the cuajinicuil worm or black worm of Puebla. It mainly develops on cuajinicuil trees (Inga vera), guarumbo and others of the cloud forest, feeding on their leaves during the rainy season. Its collection occurs in July and August in the Sierra Norte of Puebla, upland parts of Guerrero and Oaxaca. It has a cylindrical body of up to 12 cm, bluish-black colour with a red head. It is prepared purged and fried in lard with garlic, in tacos with freshly made tortillas, or ground in molcajete salsa with chile pasilla and tomato. Its flavour recalls smoked bacon, with notes of earth and green leaves. It is a ceremonial and prestige food in the Nahua and Totonac communities of the Sierra of Puebla.

Origin and history

The consumption of cuetlas is ethnographically documented among the Nahuas, Totonacs and Otomies of the Sierra Norte of Puebla since pre-Hispanic times. CONABIO reports oral evidence of its ritual use associated with the patronal festivities of July and with the harvest thanksgiving ceremonies. Although Sahagún does not mention the cuetla by specific name, he does describe a variety of edible caterpillars from the highland Puebla and Veracruz regions. In the 20th century, anthropologist Julieta Ramos-Elorduy, of the UNAM Institute of Biology, catalogued them among the edible insects of Mexico, recording prices and communal harvesting practices in municipalities such as Hueytlalpan, Olintla and Caxhuacan. México Desconocido and Larousse Cocina highlight the economic importance of cuetlas for mountain families: during a single season they can earn income equivalent to several months of farm wages.

Characteristic ingredients

Arsenura armida is a large nocturnal moth of the Saturniidae family. Its larvae live in gregarious colonies on Inga vera and species of the genus Cecropia, completely defoliating branches during their growth. The caterpillars measure 8 to 12 cm in their last instar, just before descending to the ground to pupate; that is when they are harvested. Traditionally they are purged in water with salt and lime for 24 hours, roasted on a comal or fried in pork lard with garlic and onion. Nutritional studies from UNAM and BUAP estimate their protein content at 50-58% by dry weight, with the presence of iron, zinc, calcium and essential fatty acids. The cuetla salsa is made by grinding the toasted caterpillars with chile guajillo, chile pasilla, tomato, garlic and salt, served in market tacos and blue maize memelas. In Cuetzalan, tamales filled with cuetlas are made for patronal festivities.

Cultural significance

The cuetla represents a regional gastronomic identity of Puebla, comparable to the chinicuil of Hidalgo or the grasshopper of Oaxaca. It is part of the Traditional Mexican Cuisine dossier declared by UNESCO in 2010 as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Its harvest sustains local economies in marginalised municipalities of the Sierra Norte and keeps alive ethnobiological knowledge passed down through generations. The Higher Technological Institute of Zacapoaxtla and the BUAP are studying its semi-controlled rearing to avoid pressure on wild populations. The Secretariat of Culture of Puebla includes gastronomic festivals such as the Cuetla Fair in Hueytlalpan and tastings at the Cuetzalan Fair. Chefs such as Pedro Martín of Origen (Oaxaca) and Liz Galicia, a defender of Puebla sierra cooking, have placed the cuetla on contemporary haute cuisine menus, contributing to its revaluation.

Related recipes

Now that you know what it is, try cooking it at home with our step-by-step recipes:

We are preparing recipes for this guide. Check back soon.

Frequently asked questions

What does cuetla taste like?: It has an intense smoked-bacon flavour, with earthy and vegetal notes recalling the fresh cuajinicuil leaves it feeds on. When fried in lard it acquires a crisp texture on the outside and creamy inside, with an aftertaste similar to chorizo or chicharrón with mineral tones.
How are cuetlas prepared?: They are purged 24 hours in water with salt and lime, roasted on a comal or fried in pork lard with garlic and onion. They are served in tacos with blue maize tortillas, green salsa and avocado, or ground in molcajete salsa with chile pasilla, chile guajillo and tomato, accompanying mountain memelas and tlacoyos.
When are cuetlas harvested?: The season is very short: only during July and August, when the caterpillars reach their last instar and descend from the trees to pupate in the ground. They are gathered by hand in the early hours of the day, with entire families travelling to the cuajinicuil forests of the Sierra Norte of Puebla, Guerrero and Oaxaca.
Where does the cuetla come from?: It is native to the cloud forests of the Sierra Norte of Puebla, where its greatest consumption is concentrated, as well as to mountain areas of Guerrero, Oaxaca and parts of Veracruz. Its collection is associated with Nahua, Totonac and Otomí cultures, and is a tradition that dates back at least to the Postclassic Mesoamerican period.