‘There’s a Little Maggot’: Viral Video Shows What’s Really Hiding in Wild-Picked Cherries

A video shared to X by the account @WallStreetApes showed an unidentified woman demonstrating how wild-picked cherries can contain maggots.

"Did you know that cherries, if you pick them wild, have maggots in them?" she said, directing attention to a bowl of cherries soaking in water mixed with bicarbonate of soda.

She pointed out small white filaments emerging from the fruit as she spoke. "Can you see all these little white sort of threads coming out of these cherries? You just pull them out and then there's a little maggot," she said.

She added that the cherries remained safe to eat despite the presence of the larvae, and credited the method to another creator, thanking them for sharing it. "They're still absolutely fine to eat, but my goodness. I saw this from Louise's Kitchen Garden," she said, thanking the creator for sharing the method.

The X user @WallStreetApes, who shared the clip, followed with an explanation of why the maggots appear in unsprayed fruit.

"The reason why cherries have these maggots in them is because of the cherry fruit fly," the account said, adding that wild and organic cherries "will not be sprayed with a ton of pesticides," allowing the larvae to survive.

They recommended a similar removal method using a saltwater or vinegar soak. "If you soak the cherries or any of these berries in like a cold water with some salt or with some vinegar, it will make the maggots come out," the account said, adding that eating the fruit without soaking it poses no danger, though many people find the presence of larvae unappealing.

Reactions to the video leaned largely toward humor rather than concern. One commenter wrote, "Oh no, u might eat a bug, meanwhile Gates is making bugs for protein lol."

A different commenter agreed with the overall sentiment, writing, "All produce that has not been scientifically farmed with timely pesticide applications is infested with one type of larvae or another."

The account also showed a separate container of blueberries affected in the same way. "This is not just restricted to cherries. As you can see, these same things happen with blueberries," the account said.

One other commenter compared the case to seafood, writing, "If you could see the worms in your fish, you'd never eat it again. Fortunately, they are harmless. And delicious."

Another user offered a lighthearted take, "Extra protein for the growing boys who didn't realize it. Lol. Great advice, though lady."

The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made in this video. The details above reflect the account as shared on X by @WallStreetApes. The identity of the woman in the video could not be confirmed.