Flesh-eating maggot fly found in Texas triggers warning across southern states

• The New World Screwworm , a parasitic insect eradicated from the U.S. over 40 years ago, has been detected in Texas, confirmed by the USDA in early June.
• This insect poses a significant threat to warm-blooded animals, including livestock, wildlife, and pets, by laying eggs in open wounds where its maggots consume healthy flesh.
• In response, southern states like Florida, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, and Arkansas have implemented new rules and guidance to prevent the parasite's spread.
• Florida issued an emergency rule restricting the entry of warm-blooded animals from high-risk areas, while Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a disaster proclamation due to the infestation.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture is combating the screwworm by deploying sterilized flies, a method successfully used to eradicate the native population in 1966.

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Spread of flesh-eating parasites sparks new rules in Southern US