Can Maggots Bite?

Maggots do not bite because they do not have teeth, according to "Maggot Debridement Therapy (MDT)", by Ronald Sherman, MD. Maggots are the larvae of flies. Female flies typically lay their eggs in organic matter. When the maggots hatch, they feed on the material.

Mandibles

Instead of teeth, maggots have modified mouth parts called mouthhooks that act as raspers that scrape material into their mouths. In nature, some maggots feed on dead organic material, while others eat only live tissue, or both.

Maggot Therapy

Maggot Debridement Therapy (MDT), larva therapy, biodebridement, or maggot therapy refers to the cleaning of wounds by sterilized blow fly larvae, which eat dead and infected tissue. By doing so, the larvae disinfect the site and speed healing.

History of MDT

Although it has long been observed that maggots can help wounds heal, it was not until the late 1920s that William Baer deliberately raised and used larvae to treat patients with soft tissue infections. Physicians used MDT in the 1930s, but antibiotics and surgery replaced the technique. However, it has been revived as an alternative treatment for wounds.

References

• Wound Care Information Network: Maggot Debridement Therapy (MDT)