The US Has a Plan to Combat Screwworm. It Involves a Lot More Flies
The US Department of Agriculture has confirmed the return of the parasitic New World screwworm in Texas after decades of absence. Officials are responding by releasing large numbers of sterile male flies to disrupt the pest's reproductive cycle.
Why it matters
The screwworm poses a significant economic threat to the livestock industry and requires immediate, large-scale biological intervention.
Photograph: Dinar Bud/Getty Images Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story A flesh-eating parasitic fly that poses a major threat to livestock has returned to the United States after 60 years. This week, the US Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of New World screwworm in a calf in southern Texas.
The report is a factual, science-based account of an agricultural issue and the government's response.
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