Have you noticed more flies around your home?
You might be right, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released nearly 400 million sterile flies in Texas since the start of the year in an effort to eradicate the New World Screwworm (NWS) outbreak.
The majority of the sterile flies have been released along the Texas-Mexican border and in counties where there have been confirmed cases of NWS.
Rear Admiral Michael Schmoyer with the USDA says using sterile flies is the most effective way to disrupt the spread of NWS by disrupting their mating cycle.
The normal lifecycle of an average fly is about 21 days, and they don’t travel very far on their own, only far enough to find their source of food.
The sterile flies are left in areas where there’s a confirmed case of NWS; the larvae are covered in a green dye. Schmoyer says most people won’t be able to tell the difference between any flies.
“In your house, you are very unlikely to see an NWS fly. The important thing to remember is that these particular flies are relatively solitary,” Schmoyer said. “They like to be in wet, and hiding, moist or humid environment. And when they come to feed, they come to feed where the animal has an injury.”
The USDA is urging people to report injured animals to the family veterinarian, the city health department or the county health authorities.
For the most up-to-date information from the USDA and to report a case, click here.