Tag

Sterile Insect Technique

All articles tagged with #sterile insect technique

science-and-environment1 month ago•171 min saved

USDA Marks Billionth Sterile Fly Release as Screwworm Cases Remain Low

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released its billionth sterile fly in Texas to combat the New World screwworm. This milestone marks a significant expansion of the sterile insect technique, a method used to interrupt the pest's breeding cycle. While the screwworm was eradicated in the U.S. decades ago, recent cases have prompted a federal response. Despite concerns from scientists about potential spread, fewer than 50 cases have been recorded in the U.S. this year. The Trump administration is working to ramp up production to ensure sufficient supply for the ongoing campaign.

via CNN|

#livestock-health #new-world-screwworm #science-and-environment

agriculture-and-policy1 month ago

USDA Marks Billionth Sterile Fly Release as Texas Screwworm Cases Remain Low

The USDA has released its billionth sterile fly in Texas to combat the New World screwworm, a pest that was previously eradicated in the U.S. but has re-emerged. As of August 16, 2026, federal agencies confirmed 47 cases, with 46 in Texas and one in New Mexico. The sterile insect technique aims to disrupt the pest's breeding cycle by releasing sterile males that mate with wild females, preventing offspring. While fewer than 50 cases have been recorded this year, the Trump administration is ramping up production. CBP is supporting the effort by facilitating the movement of sterile flies from Panama and training personnel. The public is urged to report suspected cases to animal health authorities.

via KY3|

#agriculture-and-policy #cbp #new-world-screwworm

agriculture-and-policy1 month ago

USDA Marks Billionth Sterile Fly Release as Screwworm Cases Remain Low

The USDA has released its billionth sterile fly in Texas to combat the New World screwworm, a pest that inflicts severe infections on warm-blooded animals. While the federal government is ramping up production and surveillance, fewer than 50 cases have been recorded in the U.S. this year. The strategy relies on releasing sterile males to interrupt breeding cycles, supported by cross-border cooperation and drone surveillance.

via wbbjtv.com|

#agriculture-and-policy #cbp #new-world-screwworm

technology2 months ago•5 min saved

Drones pivot to track flesh-eating screwworms across Texas outbreak

US agencies have repurposed hundreds of DHS drones to surveil wildlife and livestock for New World Screwworms in South Texas and surrounding areas, logging more than 1,000 flights and surveying over 22,000 animals. About 45 domesticated-animal cases have been confirmed, with drones—often infrared-equipped Skydio X10s—used to spot wounds or fever and aid AI-assisted analysis. While drones support broad surveillance, eradication still relies on Sterile Insect Technique, with new sterile-fly facilities planned in Moore Air Base, Texas and Douglas, Arizona, and continued cross-border efforts with Panama and Mexico amid human-case reports in the region.

via Ars Technica|

#drones #screwworm #sterile-insect-technique

local3 months ago•4 min saved

San Gabriel Valley tests sterile-mosquito release to curb dengue risk

San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District is releasing about 480,000 sterile male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes over 16 weeks in a 25-acre Bassett area to prevent wild females from producing offspring, using Wolbachia bacteria; since these are males, they don’t bite, and the program aims to reduce mosquito bites and dengue risk as peak season arrives.

via LAist|

#aedes-aegypti #local #san-gabriel-valley

health3 months ago•5 min saved

Sacramento deploys sterile-mosquito releases to tackle disease-spreading Aedes aegypti

Sacramento’s Rosemont neighborhood kicked off a Sterile Insect Technique program by releasing 144,000 sterile male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to outcompete wild males and reduce the invasive population, part of a plan to release 2.3 million sterile insects over 16 weeks. The Wolbachia-based approach is environmentally friendly and targets only Aedes aegypti, with previous Natomas pilot showing up to 40% population reduction. The program aims to lower disease risk from dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, while public health officials emphasize the need for residents to drain standing water, use repellents, and report unusual activity. If successful, the program could expand to additional areas.

via Sacramento Bee|

#aedes-aegypti #health #rosemont

science3 months ago•15 min saved

Lessons from the Sterile Fly Playbook for a New Screwworm Outbreak

The piece recounts how the U.S. defeated screwworms in 1966 via the Sterile Insect Technique—mass-releasing sterile flies developed by Edward Knipling and Raymond Bushland—after decades of outbreaks and early missteps, including Florida and Southwest eradication efforts and cross-border cooperation with Mexico; it warns that today’s re-emergence demands large-scale, preventative action and renewed funding for monitoring to avoid repeating past economic and agricultural losses.

via The Texas Tribune|

#bushland #eradication #knipling

agriculture3 months ago•11 min saved

Screwworm comeback tests U.S. livestock defenses

An outbreak of New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite that infests warm-blooded animals, has returned to the United States with 15 confirmed cases in Texas and New Mexico, mainly affecting cattle. Officials are deploying sterile flies, expanding surveillance, and tightening border and movement controls to contain it, warning the outbreak could cost billions if it spreads, even as human risk remains low. The situation echoes the historic success of the sterile-insect technique used to eradicate the pest decades ago.

via CNN|

#agriculture #beef-industry #biosecurity

science4 months ago•2 min saved

New World Screwworm Resurges in U.S., 12 Cases Confirmed as Texas Leads

U.S. officials report 12 confirmed cases of New World screwworm (11 in Texas, 1 in New Mexico) as the flesh-eating parasite re-emerges after spreading north from Central America; eradicated in the 1960s, it threatens cattle, sheep and wildlife, prompting surveillance, testing and millions of sterile-male releases, a Kerrville research lab expansion, and a Texas disaster declaration to contain the outbreak; meat remains safe and early detection is crucial.

via Texas Public Radio | TPR|

#livestock-health #new-world-screwworm #outbreak

science4 months ago•8 min saved

Return of the New World screwworm roils US beef markets amid cross-border crime links

A revived New World screwworm has been found in the US (Texas and New Mexico) after decades of eradication, with researchers tracing its comeback to illegal Central American cattle trafficking; the outbreak threatens billions in beef losses, has involved a dog case in New Mexico, and has spurred discussions on control methods including sterile fly releases and the controversial SWASS tool, underscoring the need for cross-border action to halt the pest at its source.

via CNN|

#illegal-cattle-trafficking #science #screwworm

science4 months ago•6 min saved

Screwworm resurges in the U.S., forcing a restart of the sterile-fly program

The United States confirmed a natural incursion of the New World screwworm in Texas cattle—the first since 1982—after decades of eradicating the pest with mass releases of sterile male flies. Facing potential billions in economic impact from livestock losses, the USDA is funding a $750 million facility in Texas to produce about 300 million sterile screwworms per week by 2027. While the comeback mirrors the historic campaign, experts note aging facilities elsewhere and a growing debate among bioethicists about using genetic modification to wipe out the species, a method not yet ready for deployment.

via NBC News|

#bioethics #livestock #science

agriculture4 months ago•5 min saved

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.

via PBS|

#agriculture #biosecurity #screwworm

world4 months ago•18 min saved

New World Screwworm Returns to the U.S.; Sterile-Fly Program Ramps Up

The New World screwworm fly has reappeared in the United States, signaling a potential northward spread that could threaten livestock. In response, authorities are expanding a sterile-fly program, including a facility in Edinburg, Texas, where dyed fly pupae are used to rear and release sterile males to curb the population.

via AP News|

#edinburg-texas #livestock #new-world-screwworm

technology4 months ago•3 min saved

Google seeks permit for a massive sterile-mosquito release in California and Florida

Google is asking the U.S. EPA for an experimental permit to release up to 32 million Wolbachia-infected sterile male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in California and Florida over two years, using automated rearing and AI to separate sexes and release them in targeted areas. The public comment period ends June 5, and Google cites Singapore’s results—80-90% suppression of Aedes aegypti and dengue reductions—as evidence this tech-driven approach could be a viable alternative to pesticides.

via The Guardian|

#epa #google #mosquito-control

technology4 months ago•11 min saved

Google Plans 32 Million Infected Mosquitoes to Fight Diseases

Google (Alphabet) has asked the EPA for permission to breed and release up to 32 million Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes in Florida and California over two years as part of its Debug project, using the sterile-insect technique to reduce wild mosquito populations and curb transmission of diseases like West Nile, dengue, Zika, and more. The plan envisions 16 million releases in Florida first, then 16 million in California, with robots rearing and AI sorting by sex. The EPA is reviewing the Experimental Use Permit and opening public feedback, while some residents express concerns about environmental impact and backyard exposure.

via Metro.co.uk|

#google #mosquitoes #public-health