The combined digestive enzymes of a team of maggots and the collective effects of their mouth hooks gnawing on the flesh causes rotting meat to break down faster. The maggot mass also generates impressive heat, up to 30°C (54°F) above ambient temperatures—a remarkable feat for “cold-blooded” creatures. Heat is believed to be generated by the friction of all those wriggling grubs, and perhaps also metabolic and microbial activity.
