Screwworms Return Threaten Cattle

Texas is facing a terrifying comeback of the New World screwworm fly — a flesh-eating pest last seen in the U.S. in 1966 — now threatening cattle with deadly larvae that feed on living tissue. Livestock are especially vulnerable after procedures like shearing or birthing, and the economic stakes are massive, with the cattle industry worth over $100 billion. Officials are reviving a historic solution: releasing millions of sterile male flies to disrupt reproduction, while setting up quarantine zones and urging daily animal checks. Though the flies don’t infect meat, the economic fallout could be severe — especially after last year’s border closures that hurt ranchers. The race is on to contain this before it spirals into another national crisis.

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