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Texas Battles Invasive Screwworm Threat
31 Jan
Summary
- Texas declared a disaster to prevent invasive screwworm spread.
- Larvae burrow into living mammals, causing deadly damage.
- Texas is combating flies near the border with sterile males and traps.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a statewide disaster to bolster efforts against the New World Screwworm (NWS) fly. The larvae of this invasive species are known to burrow into the flesh of living mammals, often causing fatal damage.
Currently, NWS flies have not reached Texas but are being monitored as they move northward from Mexico. Governor Abbott emphasized the state's readiness to deploy all resources to prevent the pest's re-emergence and potential harm to livestock and wildlife.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has identified NWS as a devastating pest, noting its ability to infest livestock, pets, and wildlife, and in rare instances, humans. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department warns that maggots hatch in open wounds or orifices, burrowing into flesh and potentially leading to the animal's death.
To counter this threat, an $8.5 million USDA facility is being constructed in the Rio Grande Valley to breed millions of sterile male flies. These will be released to mate with females, preventing reproduction. Additionally, Texas has deployed baited traps along the border to capture and kill the flies, aiming to eradicate a significant portion of the population.
