A maggot is the larva of a fly, which looks like a small, pale, worm-like creature without legs. When a fly lays its eggs, they hatch into maggots that feed and grow before transforming into adult flies. Though they might seem gross, maggots play an important role in nature by breaking down dead plants and animals, helping recycle nutrients back into the soil.

You'll most likely encounter maggots in garbage cans, compost piles, or anywhere rotting food sits in warm weather. Fishers sometimes use maggots as bait because fish find them irresistible. Surprisingly, doctors have used specially raised sterile maggots to clean infected wounds for centuries: the maggots eat only dead tissue while leaving healthy tissue alone, helping wounds heal faster.