Texans may soon face a serious threat, as officials roll out a large-scale plan to stop the spread of flesh-eating flies that pose a significant danger to the Lone Star State. Every year, the world grapples with natural hazards—from environmental disasters to harmful fungi—but few realize just how alarming insect invasions can be.
Only last year, parts of the United States endured what many described as the largest insect invasion in centuries, so severe that some compared it to biblical plagues. Now, a looming threat to the American South could prove even more destructive.
According to Ars Technica, Texas has launched a new initiative to combat flesh-eating flies, which have the potential to devastate vital animal populations.
What are flesh-eating flies?
These insects, officially known as the New World Screwworm, pose a severe threat to livestock and wildlife alike.
Their name comes from their larvae, which hatch from hundreds of eggs laid in open wounds or body openings of warm-blooded animals. The larvae then burrow deeper into the host, effectively consuming it alive—causing horrific and often fatal injuries.
Why are New World Screwworms so dangerous?
The danger lies in their ability to infect and kill large numbers of animals, wiping out valuable livestock and endangering species already at risk.
In the past, governments in North and South America successfully eradicated Screwworm populations through the sterile insect technique (SIT). This method exploited the fact that female Screwworms only mate once. The USDA developed a process using gamma radiation to sterilize males, who could still mate but produced no offspring—dramatically reducing populations in affected areas.
Recently, however, growing Screwworm populations in South America have raised fears that the flies may return to the United States. In response, Texas officials are taking aggressive preventative measures.
New sterile fly facilities have been established in Texas, and the USDA has restricted livestock trade at southern entry points.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller stressed that traditional SIT methods are no longer sufficient on their own. To bolster defenses, researchers have developed a new synthetic bait.
This bait mimics the scent of open wounds, allowing experts not only to track but also to proactively eliminate Screwworms before they spread.
“When it comes to safeguarding Texas’ $15 billion cattle industry, we need to focus on action rather than words,” Miller said in a statement. “That’s why I instructed my Biosecurity team to develop an effective Screwworm lure.
“This new attractant, named TDA Swormlure, marks a serious upgrade in our efforts to protect Texas livestock from the threat of New World Screwworms, now roughly 370 miles south of Texas.”
Source: uniladtech.com