maggots
Wriggling decay feeders
Maggots are the larval form of flies—soft, legless, wormlike creatures that hatch from eggs laid in decaying organic matter.
They feed voraciously on rotting flesh, garbage, or other decomposing material.
In medicine, sterile maggots are sometimes used to clean wounds by consuming dead tissue.
The word often carries connotations of filth and disgust: The garbage was crawling with maggots.
Intense physical disgust
- nauseaPre-vomiting stomach discomfort
- squeamishnessExcessive sensitivity to unpleasantness
- aversionIntense dislike or repugnance
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
loathing · distaste · abhorrence · repugnance · sickening · yuckiness · gruesomeness · gagging
Immature metamorphosing creatures
- pupaeMetamorphosis middle stage
- instarArthropod developmental stage
- moltingPeriodic shedding of covering
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
eggs · flies · diptera · blowfly · housefly · hatching · development · oviposition
Catching aquatic creatures
- anglingRecreational hook-and-line pursuit
- wormsLimbless burrowing invertebrates
- minnowsTiny freshwater fish
- tackleGear or takedown
fishhook · lure · chum · bobber · cast · trout · carp · catfish
Organic breakdown process
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- putrefactionBacterial breakdown of tissue
- carrionPutrefying animal remains
- corpseDeceased human body
carcass · flesh · decomposition · bacteria · detritus · organic · breakdown · cadaver
Removing damaged tissue surgically
- biotherapyTherapy using biological agents
- larvalOf early insect stages
- therapyCurative mental treatment
- woundCoiled, or an injury
necrotic · tissue · sterile · healing · chronic · ulcers · diabetic · infection
Scientific crime-scene analysis
- autopsyMedical examination after death
- pathologyStudy of disease processes
- crimePunishable illegal act
- sceneDramatic unit or locale
evidence · corpse · entomology · investigator · cadaver · blowfly · colonization · PMI
revulsion
Intense physical disgust
- nauseaPre-vomiting stomach discomfort
- squeamishnessExcessive sensitivity to unpleasantness
- aversionIntense dislike or repugnance
horror · loathing · distaste · abhorrence · repugnance · sickening · yuckiness · gruesomeness · gagging · shudder
larvae
Immature metamorphosing creatures
- pupaeMetamorphosis middle stage
- instarArthropod developmental stage
- moltingPeriodic shedding of covering
metamorphosis · eggs · flies · diptera · blowfly · housefly · hatching · development · oviposition · entomology
fishing
Catching aquatic creatures
- anglingRecreational hook-and-line pursuit
- wormsLimbless burrowing invertebrates
- minnowsTiny freshwater fish
tackle · fishhook · lure · chum · bobber · cast · trout · carp · catfish · bass
rot
Organic breakdown process
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- putrefactionBacterial breakdown of tissue
- carrionPutrefying animal remains
corpse · carcass · flesh · decomposition · bacteria · detritus · organic · breakdown · cadaver · roadkill
debridement
Removing damaged tissue surgically
- biotherapyTherapy using biological agents
- larvalOf early insect stages
- therapyCurative mental treatment
wound · necrotic · tissue · sterile · healing · chronic · ulcers · diabetic · infection · dressings
forensics
Scientific crime-scene analysis
- autopsyMedical examination after death
- pathologyStudy of disease processes
- crimePunishable illegal act
scene · evidence · corpse · entomology · investigator · cadaver · blowfly · colonization · PMI · decomposition
- invertebratesinvertebrate, arthropod, arthropods, mollusk, crustacean
- animal parasitesfleas, ticks, mites, lice, worms
- larvaelarvae, larva, caterpillar, caterpillars, grub
- drain pestsdrain flies, drain fly, larvae
- carrion insectsblow flies, blowflies, carrion beetles, beetle larvae, fly larvae
- filthdirt, grime, dirty, filthy, muck
- maggot therapyWound cleaning via larvae
- apple maggotInsect larva infesting pomaceous fruit