The United States Federal Government is leading a courageous counter-offensive in their War on Screwworms to repel this terrible resurrection of the flesh-eating screwworm maggot. The invasive species is endangering the country’s livestock and wildlife. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) just released an ambitious new plan. Each will breed billions of neutron-sterile flies, then release them from aircraft over selected areas in Mexico and South Texas. This initiative aims to address the alarming impact of the New World screwworm fly, which can devastate the American beef industry and endanger domestic pets.
The screwworm fly is a biting pest of livestock, including cattle. This tropical species can’t make it through winter in places like the Midwest or Great Plains. Livestock, particularly cattle, are especially susceptible to its larvae, which eat live tissue. According to Michael Bailey, a specialist in animal health, “A thousand-pound bovine can be dead from this in two weeks.” We greatly appreciate that the USDA has understood the urgency of this situation. They’re spending $29.5 million on new breeding facilities—$8.5 million on a new site in Texas, $21 million to renovate an existing facility in southern Mexico.
Between 1962 and 1975, the USDA implemented aggressive measures to wipe out the screwworm fly. To accomplish this success, they bred and released over 94 billion sterile flies. The techniques used back then were often brutal, with such methods as aerial releases from paper cups dropped from planes. The USDA is looking to build on these strategies as researchers seek to improve breeding tools by orders of magnitude. A new facility in Panama recently ramped up production to 117 million sterile flies per week. The USDA would like to increase this breeding capacity to a minimum of 400 million flies per week.
The screwworm fly is a major risk to livestock. It can destroy wildlife populations and put our domestic pets at risk. The USDA’s initiative is a forward thinking measure to keep this damaging pest from marching ever northward. Fear of migration drove the U.S. southern border closure with Mexico that lasted several months in May. This included impacting the importation of live cattle, horses, and bison. The border will continue to be at least partially closed until at least September 15.
Even after successful eradication attempts with the screwworm fly, experts warn that never is the time to let down your guard. Burgess, a USDA representative, highlighted that we tend to think we can fully dictate everything. As he warned, even what we do call a victory can surprise you and come back to bite you. This new perspective puts an even greater emphasis on the necessity and benefit of foresight and precision in the field.
Beyond this heavy historical context, recent incidents show that there can be serious risks involved with going after pests. Last month, one of the planes responsible for this institute released sterile flies and crashed in rural Chiapas, Mexico, near the country’s border with Guatemala, killing three people. Such incidents highlight the challenges involved in implementing biological control approaches.
The USDA appears to have a renewed effort behind eradicating the screwworm threat. Their priority is to prevent continued carnage of livestock and wildlife. The agency’s dedication to investing in new fly breeding technology represents the agency carrying out its stated commitment to addressing the importance of fly breeding.