2. Wounds filled with maggots heal faster – In deep wounds and ulcers, dead or dying tissue needs to be cut out at regular intervals to prevent infection – a process called debridement. Eating dead tissue but sparing healthy tissue, applying maggots to the wound can achieve more precise results than the surgeon’s knife in a shorter time. On top of that, maggot secretions have a wide range of benefits, from improving the flow of nutrients to healing tissues to raising the wound’s pH level to limit pathogenic bacteria growth.
Body – Measuring around a centimetre (0.4in) long, about six maggots are applied for each square centimetre of the wound.
Mouth hooks – Maggots use these two modified mandibles to probe and scratch away at dead tissue.
Secretions – Enzymes in its saliva and secretions help it to break down its food.
