02/03/2026
🚨 Texas Takes Action Against New World Screwworm (NWS) 🚨
The USDA and Texas animal health authorities are stepping up efforts to prevent the spread of New World Screwworm into Texas. Here’s what you need to know:
📍 Sterile Fly Dispersal in Texas
• As of Jan 30, 2026, sterile fly releases have shifted about 50 miles into Texas, along the border with Tamaulipas, Mexico.
• Sterile flies are safe for wildlife, livestock, and people.
• These flies help eradicate NWS by preventing larvae from developing.
🐛 What is New World Screwworm?
• NWS larvae infest open wounds of livestock, wildlife, pets, and occasionally humans.
• Larvae burrow into living tissue, causing painful, sometimes deadly infections.
• NWS was eradicated in the U.S. in 1966 but remains a threat from neighboring regions.
⚠️ Clinical Signs to Watch For
• Irritated or depressed behavior
• Loss of appetite
• Head shaking
• Smell of decaying flesh
• Evidence of fly strike or maggots in wounds
• Isolation from other animals
📞 Reporting NWS
• Do not move animals if NWS is suspected.
• Contact the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) immediately: 1-800-550-8242
• For wildlife concerns, contact Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).
🦠 How NWS Spreads
• Female flies lay 200–300 eggs per batch in open wounds or natural body openings.
• Larvae feed on living tissue, drop to soil, and emerge as adult flies.
• Infested animals can spread NWS over long distances.
🛡️ Prevention Tips
• Monitor pets and livestock for wounds or infections.
• Clean and cover any wounds immediately.
• Minimize insect bites through pest management.
• Discuss preventative treatments with your veterinarian.
💉 Treatment & Eradication
• Infested animals require immediate veterinary care.
• Sterile insect technique reduces NWS populations naturally over a few lifecycles.
🔗 Resources & More Info
• Texas Animal Health Commission
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
• USDA APHIS – New World Screwworm
• CDC – NWS Myiasis
Stay vigilant, report suspicious cases, and help protect Texas livestock and wildlife from this dangerous pest! 🐄🦌🐶
⸻
If you want, I can also turn this into a visually appealing Facebook graphic with bullet points and eye-catching headers for quicker public engagement. Do you want me to do that?