US to Launch Fly Breeding Facility in Texas Amidst Efforts to Combat Flesh-Eating Parasites

The United States is establishing an $8.5 million fly breeding plant in Texas, located about 20 miles from the Mexican border, to produce millions of sterile flies as part of a campaign to control the spread of the destructive New World screwworm flies. This initiative aims to prevent the flies from infesting cattle and other mammals, including humans.

The facility will generate vast quantities of sterilized male screwworm flies, which will be released into the wild. These males will seek out and mate with fertile females, hindering egg-laying in livestock, especially in open wounds, where the flesh-eating larvae originate. Left untreated, these larvae can cause severe decay and decimate herds.

Screwworms on a surface — The US government is constructing a fly breeding plant in Texas to counter the spread of screwworms.

Female screwworm flies lay eggs that hatch into larvae capable of causing serious infections. The threat is significant because these parasites are transmissible to virtually any mammal and can even infect household pets and humans if not contained.

The initiative will make Texas the second such facility in the Western Hemisphere; previously, Panama operated the only breeding plant in the region until last year. The USDA also plans to convert a fruit fly facility near Mexico’s southern border into an additional screwworm fly factory, expected to be operational by late 2026.

Furthermore, there are considerations to build a third breeding center near Texas, capable of producing up to 300 million flies weekly. This approach follows a successful eradication campaign from the 1960s that eliminated screwworms from the US.

Government officials express confidence in defeating the pests again, noting the danger posed by their proximity—flies have recently been detected just 700 miles from the US border. Industry leaders fear that swarms could reach the border by summer, risking the upcoming calving season.

Close-up of a fly with iridescent blue-green thorax and orange eyes — Expert efforts aim to prevent the spread of flesh-eating screwworms into the US.

Officials remain optimistic, with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins asserting the US’s ability to curb the screwworm threat once more. The collaborative effort underscores the importance of cross-border cooperation in safeguarding livestock health and preventing potential health crises.