Millions of flies to be dropped over Texas to combat flesh-eating maggots | The Independent Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Not nowYes pleaseUS EditionChangeSupport NowSupport NowMenuMoreThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inMillions of flies to be dropped over Texas to combat flesh-eating maggotsThe U.S. government wiped out the Screwworm flies in the Southwest in the 1960’s, but they’re back againin Washington, D.C.Saturday 05 July 2025 02:53 BSTCommentsRelated video: US to spend millions to combat parasite along popular migrant routeYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreThe is going to and dump them on in the hopes that they'll kill off a species of insect known for laying its flesh-eating larvae in the wounds of warm-blooded animals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced an upcoming project where it will reportedly breed millions of flies, blast them with radiation to make them sterile and unleash them on Texas and in hopes of reducing the population of the . The sterile, irradiated male flies will be released in hopes that they'll mate with wild female screwworm flies. The hope is that the female flies will produce unfertilized eggs that don't hatch, ultimately reducing the number of screwworm larvae. The end goal is to see the screwworm population die out in the region. The New World Screwworm Fly is primarily found in forests and wooded areas, but also seeks hosts, including cattle and horses. An adult New World Screwworm fly. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will produce sterile male flies and release them on Texas and Mexico in an effort to reduce the New World Screwworm population. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)RecommendedFlying ant day 2025: When is it and why does it happen?‘Cyborg’ beetles could help rescue crews locate survivors after natural disastersGarden slugs and snails could now be considered venomous, study findsFemales will typically lay their eggs in the open wounds of live, warm-blooded animals. The maggots, once hatched, burrow into the flesh of the host. Their presence in the wound can potentially kill the host animal. The flies burrow into the bodies of their hosts in a screw-like fashion, hence their name. The flies — which are endemic to Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and some South American countries — were thought to have been wiped out in the U.S. as far back as 1966. The screwworm can infest humans. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised that individuals in the affected areas who "spend time among livestock animals, sleep outdoors and have an open wound are at greater risk of becoming infested with [New World Screwworms]." Because of the fly's infestation method, individuals who have recently had surgery are at a higher risk of infestation "as the flies will lay eggs on open sores," the CDC warned. Unfortunately, the screwworm flies have recently reemerged in Texas, following an outbreak in Mexico. That became public in May, prompting the USDA to across the to prevent further spread. The U.S. used the sterile fly method to nearly eliminate the screwworm flies between 1962 and 1975. In the decade before the fly program began, the USDA estimated that livestock producers in the Southwest U.S. lost approximately $50 million to $100 million annually as a result of the fly. To facilitate the new version of the fly program, a factory aimed at breeding and producing sterile flies will open in southern Mexico in July of next year. After that, a fly distribution center will be opened in southern Texas to import and distribute the sterile flies throughout the Southwest. 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Why it matters: This highly destructive, parasitic flesh-eating maggot "is a devastating pest that causes serious and often deadly damage to livestock, wildlife, pets, and in rare cases, humans," per a U.S. Department of .