US breeds sterile flies to fight flesh-eating screwworms

The US is building a "fly factory" to combat the New World screwworm, a parasitic fly whose larvae eat the flesh of warm-blooded animals, including livestock. This is in response to the insect's spread from Central America toward the US border. The New World screwworm has caused outbreaks in Central America since 2023 and reached southern Mexico in November, prompting concern. The US plans to release millions of sterilized male flies to mate with wild females, preventing them from laying viable eggs, a method previously used to eradicate the pest. The USDA is investing millions in this effort, including a new facility near the Texas-Mexico border. This strategy, while costly, is seen as crucial to protect the livestock industry from the potentially devastating economic impact of a screwworm infestation.