Escamoles are the larva

Larva

A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...

e of ants of the genus Liometopum

Liometopum

Liometopum is a genus of ants that belongs to the subfamily Dolichoderinae. Caterpillars of certain butterfly species have a symbiotic relationship with Liometopum ants...

, harvested from the roots of the agave

Agave

Agave is a genus of monocots. The plants are perennial, but each rosette flowers once and then dies ; they are commonly known as the century plant....

 (tequila

Tequila

Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco....

) or maguey (mezcal

Mezcal

Mezcal, or mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from the maguey plant native to Mexico. The word mezcal comes from Nahuatl metl and ixcalli which mean 'oven cooked agave.'...

) plant in Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

. In some forms of Mexican cuisine

Mexican cuisine

Mexican cuisine, a style of food that originates in Mexico, is known for its varied flavors, colourful decoration and variety of spices and ingredients, most of which are native to the country. The cuisine of Mexico has evolved through thousands of years of blending indigenous cultures, with later...

, escamoles are considered a delicacy and are sometimes referred to as "insect caviar". They have a cottage cheese-like consistency and taste buttery, yet slightly nutty.

On the TV series Burt Wolf's Travels and Traditions, in the episode The Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Burt Wolf

Burt Wolf

Burt Wolf is an American journalist, writer, chef and TV producer. He is the host of the PBS series Travels and Traditions.He has written or edited more than 60 books, authored a weekly column for The Washington Post and is a columnist at Salon.com.- Awards :Wolf was the first recipient of the...

 demonstrated how to eat a taco

Taco

A taco is a traditional Mexican dish composed of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling. A taco can be made with a variety of fillings, including beef, chicken, seafood, vegetables and cheese, allowing for great versatility and variety...

 of escamoles and guacamole

Guacamole

Guacamole , is an avocado-based dip that originated in Mexico. It is traditionally made by mashing ripe avocados with a molcajete with sea salt. Some recipes call for limited tomato, spicy Asian spices such as white onion, lime juice, and/or additional seasonings.-History:Guacamole was made by...

. The guacamole is used partly as a condiment and partly to prevent the escamoles from falling out of the taco.