The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently reminded producers that sterile New World screwworm flies released as part of eradication efforts may resemble wild flies.
By Levi Gwaltney
Sources: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, New Mexico Department of Agriculture
Images: Courtesy
LAS CRUCES — State and federal animal health officials are reminding livestock owners that the best defense against New World screwworm is not identifying the adult fly, but recognizing the signs of infestation in animals and reporting suspected cases quickly.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently reminded producers that sterile New World screwworm flies released as part of eradication efforts may resemble wild flies. Those sterile flies are coated with a fluorescent dye visible under black light, allowing scientists to distinguish them from wild populations during surveillance efforts.
Because identifying individual flies in the field can be difficult, officials say livestock owners should focus their attention on their animals instead.
The New Mexico Department of Agriculture advises producers to watch for draining wounds, maggots, egg masses, unusual irritation or discomfort, and suspicious fly activity around living animals. Officials emphasize that confirmation of New World screwworm requires laboratory testing coordinated through animal health professionals.
The department also addressed a common misconception about New World screwworm surveillance, noting that traps are an important monitoring tool. The traps capture flies that allow scientists to track movement, monitor population levels and detect activity in affected areas, helping guide response efforts before infestations spread.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is also encouraging producers to review conservation practices that can reduce the risk of infestation. Recommended measures include monitoring livestock frequently, promptly treating wounds, properly disposing of animal carcasses, improving grazing management, reducing fly habitat where practical and strengthening overall farm biosecurity.
Officials remind livestock owners that New World screwworm larvae feed on the living tissue of mammals and birds, making early detection critical. Signs of infestation may include irritated behavior, head shaking, a foul odor from wounds and the presence of maggots in living tissue.
Anyone who suspects a New World screwworm infestation in livestock should contact their veterinarian or the New Mexico Livestock Board immediately. Suspected cases in pets should be reported to a veterinarian, while suspected human cases should be evaluated by a health care provider.
State officials continue to direct producers and animal owners to ScrewwormNM.org for the latest information on surveillance, prevention and response efforts in New Mexico.
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