U.S. releases sterile flies to protect livestock

The U.S. plans to breed and release millions of sterile flies from airplanes to combat the spread of New World screwworms, a parasitic threat to livestock. This strategy aims to control the screwworm population, which has been spreading from Central America, by releasing sterile male flies to prevent reproduction. The flies' larvae feed on living animals, posing a significant threat to the cattle industry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will open a "fly factory" near the Texas-Mexico border to produce the sterile flies, mirroring a successful eradication effort from the 1960s and 70s. The infestation has already caused thousands of cases in livestock.