The US government plans to breed and release billions of sterile male new world screwworm flies over Mexico and southern Texas to eradicate the flesh-eating maggot. This method, which involves sterilizing male flies with radiation so their mates produce unfertilized eggs, was successfully used decades ago to eradicate the pest north of Panama. A new factory in southern Mexico is expected by July 2026, and a distribution center in southern Texas by year-end 2025. The program aims to protect the US beef industry, wildlife, and pets from the devastating pest, which can kill a bovine in two weeks. The US temporarily closed its southern border to live cattle, horses, and bison imports in May due to the fly's migration.
US to breed billions of flies and dump them out of aircraft in bid to fight flesh-eating maggot
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️The US government plans to breed and release billions of sterile male new world screwworm flies over Mexico and southern Texas to eradicate the flesh-eating maggot. This method, which involves sterilizing male flies with radiation so their mates produce unfertilized eggs, was successfully used decades ago to eradicate the pest north of Panama. A new factory in southern Mexico is expected by July 2026, and a distribution center in southern Texas by year-end 2025. The program aims to protect the US beef industry, wildlife, and pets from the devastating pest, which can kill a bovine in two weeks. The US temporarily closed its southern border to live cattle, horses, and bison imports in May due to the fly's migration.
Trending- 1 1950s: Test runs for sterile fly release method
- 2 1962-1975: US and Mexico bred and released over 94 billion sterile flies to eradicate pest
- 3 Decades ago: US fly factories in Florida and Texas closed
- 4 Late last year: Pest appeared in southern Mexico
- 5 May (current year): US temporarily closed southern border to live cattle, horses, bison imports
- 6 Last month: Plane freeing sterile flies crashed near Mexico's border with Guatemala, killing three
- 7 End of 2025: USDA plans to open fly distribution center in southern Texas
- 8 July 2026: USDA expects new screwworm fly factory to be up and running in southern Mexico
- Protection of US beef industry, wildlife, and pets from screwworm fly
- Potential eradication of the pest in affected areas
- Temporary closure of US southern border to live animal imports
- Significant government investment in fly breeding facilities
- Risk of plane crashes during fly release operations
What: The US government is preparing to breed and release billions of sterile male new world screwworm flies from aircraft.
When: Plans are underway. A new factory in southern Mexico expected by July 2026. A distribution center in southern Texas by end of 2025. US temporarily closed southern border in May (current year) to imports, not fully open until mid-September. Eradication efforts decades ago (1962-1975).
Where: Over Mexico and southern Texas. Panama (current factory location). Florida and Texas (past factory locations). Near Mexico’s border with Guatemala (recent plane crash).
Why: To fight and eradicate the flesh-eating larva of the new world screwworm fly, which poses a serious threat to the US beef industry, wildlife, and pets, and can infest warm-blooded animals, including humans.
How: By breeding billions of male flies, sterilizing them with radiation, and then releasing them from aircraft. These sterile males mate with wild females, resulting in unfertilized eggs and a decline in the fly population.