Why is US planning to breed screwworm flies & dump them from planes over Mexico?
The United States government is taking an unconventional approach to protect its beef industry from a flesh-eating pest. In a bid to eradicate the New World screwworm fly, which can cause significant economic losses and even death in livestock, the US is planning to breed billions of male flies and release them from planes over Mexico and southern Texas.
The New World screwworm fly (Chrysops atlanticus) is a type of fly that is native to Central and South America, but has been reported in the southern United States, particularly in Texas and Florida. The larvae of this fly feed on the flesh of warm-blooded animals, causing serious damage to livestock and pets. The fly is known to target open wounds, skin lesions, and even healthy skin, leading to significant economic losses and even death in affected animals.
To combat this pest, the US government has turned to a novel approach – releasing sterilized male screwworm flies into the wild. The plan is to breed billions of male flies and sterilize them using radiation, so that they cannot reproduce with female flies and cause the population to die out.
According to a report by the Hindustan Times, the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has been working on this project for several years. The agency has partnered with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Florida to develop a plan to release the sterilized male flies.
The plan is to release the sterilized male flies from planes over Mexico and southern Texas, where the screwworm fly is most prevalent. The male flies will be released in areas where the fly is known to be present, with the goal of establishing a “male-only” population.
The sterilized male flies will compete with wild male flies for mating opportunities, effectively reducing the population of wild screwworm flies over time. This approach is known as “sterile insect technique” or SIT, and has been used successfully in the past to control the population of other insects, including the Mediterranean fruit fly.
The APHIS has been working closely with the Mexican government to implement the plan, which is expected to start in the near future. The agency has already conducted several small-scale trials in the region, with promising results.
The release of sterilized male screwworm flies is not a new concept. In the 1950s and 1960s, the US used a similar approach to eradicate the screwworm fly from the southern United States. However, the fly reappeared in the region in the 1980s, likely due to the introduction of the fly from Central America.
The US is not the only country to use this approach to control the screwworm fly. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have both recommended the use of SIT as a method of controlling the screwworm fly.
The use of SIT has several advantages over traditional methods of controlling the screwworm fly, including the use of pesticides and insecticides. SIT is a more targeted approach, as it only affects the screwworm fly population, rather than the entire ecosystem.
Additionally, SIT is a more sustainable approach, as it does not involve the use of chemicals that can harm the environment and human health. The sterilized male flies are also non-toxic and non-allergenic, making them a safe option for use in areas where livestock and pets are present.
In conclusion, the US government’s plan to breed and release sterilized male screwworm flies over Mexico and southern Texas is a novel approach to controlling the population of this flesh-eating pest. The use of SIT has been recommended by international organizations and has been shown to be an effective and sustainable method of controlling the screwworm fly.
The plan is expected to start in the near future, and will likely involve the release of billions of sterilized male flies from planes over the region. While some may be skeptical of this approach, the use of SIT has been shown to be a safe and effective way to control the screwworm fly population, and has the potential to save millions of dollars in economic losses and prevent the death of livestock and pets.
