US to Deploy Fly Campaign in Mexico to Combat Screwworms
The United States is implementing a plan to combat flesh-eating screwworm maggots by breeding and releasing billions of sterilized male flies over Mexico and Texas. This strategy involves sterilizing male flies via radiation and allowing them to mate with female screwworms, preventing the production of viable offspring. The US Department of Agriculture aims to eradicate the pest, which was previously eliminated from the US in 1966 but has resurfaced, threatening the beef industry and impacting wildlife. A new fly factory in Mexico is planned, along with another in Texas, to significantly increase the production of sterile flies, costing approximately $30 million.
John Q. Hosedrinker