Texas Faces New Screwworm Threat Near the Border

The USDA confirmed the New World screwworm fly has reached south Texas for the first time in decades, detected in a 3-week-old calf near La Pryor. A 12-mile quarantine zones restricts movement of warm-blooded animals while authorities deploy sterile flies and expand surveillance. Officials say there is no evidence of a mass infestation and the fly’s flesh-eating larvae can be treated; the case follows decades of eradication and ongoing investments to rebuild sterile-fly production facilities in Mexico and Texas to prevent further spread. The incident highlights continued biosecurity vigilance at the U.S.-Mexico border.