Texas has issued a statewide disaster declaration to strengthen prevention efforts against the potential spread of the New World screwworm, a destructive parasitic fly that poses a serious threat to livestock and wildlife. The declaration is preemptive, as the pest has not been detected in Texas or elsewhere in the United States, but officials say its continued movement north from Mexico warrants immediate action.
Governor Greg Abbott issued the declaration to allow the state to mobilize resources more quickly, coordinate agency response efforts, and remove regulatory barriers that could slow action if screwworm is detected.
The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae burrow into the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing severe wounds that can lead to serious injury or death if untreated. Female flies lay eggs in open wounds or mucous membranes, and the hatched larvae feed on healthy flesh.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a single female screwworm fly can lay between 200 and 300 eggs at a time and as many as 3,000 eggs during her lifespan, allowing infestations to spread rapidly.
The disaster declaration activates the Texas New World Screwworm Response Team, a joint effort between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission. The team is tasked with coordinating surveillance, prevention strategies, and rapid response planning statewide.
The screwworm was eradicated from the United States in 1966 using coordinated state and federal efforts. The pest remains endemic in parts of the Caribbean and South America and was confirmed in Florida in 2016, where it was successfully eliminated through aggressive containment and eradication measures.
A key component of screwworm eradication is the sterile insect technique. Sterile male flies are bred and released to mate with fertile female flies, which only mate once during their lifetime. These matings produce no offspring, causing the population to steadily decline until it collapses.
To support long-term prevention, the USDA has committed $750 million to construct a sterile screwworm fly production facility in the Rio Grande Valley. The facility is expected to produce and release up to 300 million sterile flies per week. A distribution facility is also expected to open in the Valley early this year.
In addition, the USDA has dedicated an extra $100 million toward research and development of new tools and technologies to improve detection, monitoring, and response efforts.
State officials say a screwworm outbreak could have devastating consequences for Texas agriculture and wildlife. Texas leads the nation in cattle production, and infestations can spread quickly if not identified early.
With the disaster declaration in place, officials say Texas is better positioned to prevent the parasite from gaining a foothold and to protect livestock, wildlife, and the state’s agricultural economy before damage occurs.
