The US plans to begin breeding billions of flies to kill a pest. Here is how it will work
That sounds like the plot of a horror movie, but it is part of the government's plans for protecting the US from a bug that could devastate its beef industry, decimate wildlife and even kill household pets. This weird science has worked well before.
'It's an exceptionally good technology,' said Edwin Burgess, an assistant professor at the University of Florida who studies parasites in animals, particularly livestock. 'It's an all-time great in terms of translating science to solve some kind of large problem.'
The targeted pest is the flesh-eating larva of the New World Screwworm fly. The US Department of Agriculture plans to ramp up the breeding and distribution of adult male flies — sterilizing them with radiation before releasing them — so they can mate ineffectively with females and over time cause the population to die out.
It is more effective and environmentally friendly than spraying the pest into oblivion, and it is how the US and other nations north of Panama eradicated the same pest decades ago. Sterile flies from a factory in Panama kept the flies contained there for years, but the pest appeared in southern Mexico late last year.
The USDA expects a new screwworm fly factory to be up and running in southern Mexico by July 2026. It plans to open a fly distribution center in southern Texas by the end of the year so that it can import and distribute flies from Panama if necessary.
Fly feeds on live flesh
The US plans to begin breeding billions of flies to fight a pest.
Most fly larvae feed on dead flesh, making the New World screwworm fly and its Old World counterpart in Asia and Africa outliers — and for the American beef industry, a serious threat. Females lay their eggs in wounds and, sometimes, exposed mucus.
'A thousand-pound bovine can be dead from this in two weeks,' said Michael Bailey, president elect of the American Veterinary Medicine Association.
Veterinarians have effective treatments for infested animals, but an infestation can still be unpleasant — and cripple an animal with pain.
Don Hineman, a retired western Kansas rancher, recalled infected cattle as a youngster on his family's farm.
'It smelled nasty,' he said. 'Like rotting meat.'
How scientists will use the fly's biology against it
The New World screwworm fly is a tropical species, unable to survive Midwestern or Great Plains winters, so it was a seasonal scourge. Still, the US and Mexico bred and released more than 94 billion sterile flies from 1962 through 1975 to eradicate the pest, according to the USDA.
The numbers need to be large enough that females in the wild can't help but hook up with sterile males for mating.
One biological trait gives fly fighters a crucial wing up: Females mate only once in their weekslong adult lives.
Why the US wants to breed more flies
Alarmed about the fly's migration north, the US temporarily closed its southern border in May to imports of live cattle, horses and bison and it won't be fully open again at least until mid-September.
But female flies can lay their eggs in wounds on any warm-blooded animal, and that includes humans.
Decades ago, the US had fly factories in Florida and Texas, but they closed as the pest was eradicated.
The Panama fly factory can breed up to 117 million a week, but the USDA wants the capacity to breed at least 400 million a week. It plans to spend $8.5 million on the Texas site and $21 million to convert a facility in southern Mexico for breeding sterile fruit flies into one for screwworm flies.
How to raise hundreds of millions of flies
In one sense, raising a large colony of flies is relatively easy, said Cassandra Olds, an assistant professor of entomology at Kansas State University.
But, she added, 'You've got to give the female the cues that she needs to lay her eggs, and then the larvae have to have enough nutrients."
Fly factories once fed larvae horse meat and honey and then moved to a mix of dried eggs and either honey or molasses, according to past USDA research. Later, the Panama factory used a mix that included egg powder and red blood cells and plasma from cattle.
In the wild, larvae ready for the equivalent of a butterfly's cocoon stage drop off their hosts and onto the ground, burrow just below the surface and grow to adulthood inside a protective casing making them resemble a dark brown Tic Tac mint. In the Panama factory, workers drop them into trays of sawdust.
Security is an issue. Sonja Swiger, an entomologist with Texas A&M University's Extension Service, said a breeding facility must prevent any fertile adults kept for breeding stock from escaping.
How to drop flies from an airplane
Dropping flies from the air can be dangerous. Last month, a plane freeing sterile flies crashed near Mexico's border with Guatemala, killing three people.
In test runs in the 1950s, according to the USDA, scientists put the flies in paper cups and then dropped the cups out of planes using special chutes. Later, they loaded them into boxes with a machine known as a 'Whiz Packer.'
The method is still much the same: Light planes with crates of flies drop those crates.
Burgess called the development of sterile fly breeding and distribution in the 1950s and 1960s one of the USDA's 'crowning achievements.'
Some agriculture officials argue now that new factories shouldn't be shuttered after another successful fight.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
3 days ago
Are you drinking heavily? You may be at greater risk of liver disease
The rate of serious liver disease among heavy drinkers has more than doubled over the last 20 years as the demographics around who is consuming more alcohol shift, a new study suggests. The research, published (new window) Wednesday in American medical journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, found that heavy alcohol use is up among women, older adults, lower-income individuals and people with metabolic syndromes like obesity, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. These groups tend to already be at a higher risk for liver disease, and excessive drinking only makes that worse, doctors say. Liver disease is real, it's surging, and your risk is much higher than you might think, said Dr. Brian Lee, a study author and a transplant hepatologist who treats liver transplant patients in the U.S. WATCH | Research suggests heavy drinking is shifting and liver disease is up: Liver disease is a leading cause of alcohol-related deaths in Canada (new window) and the United States (new window) . Severe forms of the illness, which has three main stages (new window) , leads to cirrhosis. That's when the liver has experienced irreversible damage and is significantly scarred. Alcohol causes fat to deposit in the liver, that fat then causes inflammation, the inflammation then causes scarring and the scarring is what causes the long-term complications of liver disease, said Lee. Until it gets to the later stages, there aren't usually many obvious symptoms (new window) related to alcohol-related liver disease. And there's also not any specific treatment that can help. People are often advised to stop drinking or make other lifestyle changes, but in severe cases where the liver has stopped working, a liver transplant might be necessary. Rate of liver disease doubled: study The new research followed more than 44,600 American adults who were 20 years or older from 1999 to 2020. Over that 20-year period, the study found that among heavy drinkers, the rate of serious liver disease increased from 1.8 per cent in 1999 to 2004, to 4.3 per cent in 2013 to 2020. That increase was mostly in women, older people and those living in poverty. Even though the research included only people in the United States, experts say this is a global trend. In Canada, recent research (new window) has also shown that alcohol-related illnesses are on the rise and that women are increasingly impacted. Better consumption guidelines needed: Expert One thing that we need to really try as a population is to better educate our population on how much alcohol they're actually consuming, said Dr. Jennifer Flemming, an associate professor in medicine and public health at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. Flemming says many people don't understand what constitutes a standard drink. Experts blame this uncertainty on a mishmash of alcohol consumption guidelines and little transparency on the amount of alcohol in a standard drink. For example, Flemming says in the United States, 14 grams of pure alcohol is considered a standard drink, compared to 10 grams of pure alcohol in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, in Canada, the national health department says a standard drink is 13.45 grams of pure alcohol (new window) , which includes a 12 ounce bottle of beer at five per cent alcohol, or a five ounce glass of wine at 12 per cent alcohol. Enlarge image (new window) Experts say warning labels on alcohol outlining the health risks related to its consumption would help inform people. Photo: Radio-Canada / Neil Cochrane/ICI Radio-Canada Warning labels may help, study suggests But labels on alcohol products in many parts of the world don't actually specify how many grams the alcohol contains, which Flemming says can make it hard for people to know. Though research is limited, some studies suggest that placing warning labels on alcohol can decrease consumption. A study published (new window) in 2020 examined the effect of warning labels on alcohol in the Yukon. The researchers found that sales of alcohol with warning labels decreased and concluded that these labels resulted in reduced consumption. When people noticed the warnings, they changed their beliefs, said one of the researchers Tim Stockwell, who is a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria in B.C. "Those people who increased their awareness of the cancer risk expressed intentions to cut down their drinking. Which consumption guidelines should Canadians follow? The Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) released new alcohol consumption guidelines (new window) in 2023. They stated that no amount of alcohol is safe and recommended no more than two drinks a week for men and women. Despite receiving funding from Health Canada to create these new guidelines, the federal health department has not adopted them, and its website features different recommendations (new window) . In an email, a Health Canada spokesperson told CBC News the CCSA's work is ongoing and said the Health Canada website will be updated after this work is completed. As for adding warning labels that better define the risks and serving size, Health Canada says it is monitoring the situation and will continue to inform the public about the harms of alcohol. Enlarge image (new window) Tim Stockwell, a scientist with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria, says there's been a shift in public awareness about the health impacts of heavy drinking. That's why he expects future research to show a drop in alcohol-related illnesses like liver disease. Photo: University of Victoria But experts say more needs to be done to better protect people. At this time, Stockwell says the best guidance for Canadians is to follow the recommendations by the CCSA. The pressure is mounting, said Stockwell, though he noted how challenging it is given the power of large commercial alcohol companies. LISTEN | The Dose: How does drinking affect my health? (new window) People more aware of health risks: Expert The new research doesn't account for increased alcohol consumption (new window) during the COVID-19 pandemic, but research in Canada found that (new window) alcohol-related illnesses did significantly increase during that time. It also doesn't account for early suggestions that people have been drinking less post-pandemic, says Stockwell. There's been a shift in the awareness out there in the public … about the health impacts, he said. That's why he expects future research to show a drop in alcohol-related illnesses, like liver disease. He says this is also partly due to inflation. When people have less disposable income, they spend less on everything, and alcohol is no exception, said Stockwell, noting that people also appear to be paying attention to new information about cancer risks related to alcohol consumption.
CBC
3 days ago
- CBC
Are you drinking heavily? You may be at greater risk of liver disease
Social Sharing The rate of serious liver disease among heavy drinkers has more than doubled over the last 20 years as the demographics around who is consuming more alcohol shift, a new study suggests. The research, published Wednesday in American medical journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, found that heavy alcohol use is up among women, older adults, lower-income individuals and people with metabolic syndromes like obesity, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. These groups tend to already be at a higher risk for liver disease, and excessive drinking only makes that worse, doctors say. "Liver disease is real, it's surging, and your risk is much higher than you might think," said Dr. Brian Lee, a study author and a transplant hepatologist who treats liver transplant patients in the U.S. WATCH | Research suggests heavy drinking is shifting and liver disease is up: Who's drinking heavily is shifting and liver disease is up, research finds 1 day ago A study published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology shows that rates of serious liver scarring more than doubled over the last 20 years among heavy drinkers as the demographics of drinkers shift to include older adults and women. Liver disease is a leading cause of alcohol-related deaths in Canada and the United States. Severe forms of the illness, which has three main stages, leads to cirrhosis. That's when the liver has experienced irreversible damage and is significantly scarred. "Alcohol causes fat to deposit in the liver, that fat then causes inflammation, the inflammation then causes scarring and the scarring is what causes the long-term complications of liver disease," said Lee. Until it gets to the later stages, there aren't usually many obvious symptoms related to alcohol-related liver disease. And there's also not any specific treatment that can help. People are often advised to stop drinking or make other lifestyle changes, but in severe cases where the liver has stopped working, a liver transplant might be necessary. Rate of liver disease doubled: study The new research followed more than 44,600 American adults who were 20 years or older from 1999 to 2020. Over that 20-year period, the study found that among heavy drinkers, the rate of serious liver disease increased from 1.8 per cent in 1999 to 2004, to 4.3 per cent in 2013 to 2020. That increase was mostly in women, older people and those living in poverty. Even though the research included only people in the United States, experts say this is a global trend. In Canada, recent research has also shown that alcohol-related illnesses are on the rise and that women are increasingly impacted. Better consumption guidelines needed: Expert "One thing that we need to really try as a population is to better educate our population on how much alcohol they're actually consuming," said Dr. Jennifer Flemming, an associate professor in medicine and public health at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. Flemming says many people don't understand what constitutes a standard drink. Experts blame this uncertainty on a mishmash of alcohol consumption guidelines and little transparency on the amount of alcohol in a standard drink. For example, Flemming says in the United States, 14 grams of pure alcohol is considered a standard drink, compared to 10 grams of pure alcohol in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, in Canada, the national health department says a standard drink is 13.45 grams of pure alcohol, which includes a 12 ounce bottle of beer at five per cent alcohol, or a five ounce glass of wine at 12 per cent alcohol. Warning labels may help, study suggests But labels on alcohol products in many parts of the world don't actually specify how many grams the alcohol contains, which Flemming says can make it hard for people to know. Though research is limited, some studies suggest that placing warning labels on alcohol can decrease consumption. A study published in 2020 examined the effect of warning labels on alcohol in the Yukon. The researchers found that sales of alcohol with warning labels decreased and concluded that these labels resulted in reduced consumption. "When people noticed the warnings, they changed their beliefs," said one of the researchers Tim Stockwell, who is a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria in B.C. "Those people who increased their awareness of the cancer risk expressed intentions to cut down their drinking. Which consumption guidelines should Canadians follow? The Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) released new alcohol consumption guidelines in 2023. They stated that no amount of alcohol is safe and recommended no more than two drinks a week for men and women. Despite receiving funding from Health Canada to create these new guidelines, the federal health department has not adopted them, and its website features different recommendations. In an email, a Health Canada spokesperson told CBC News the CCSA's work is "ongoing" and said "the Health Canada website will be updated after this work is completed." As for adding warning labels that better define the risks and serving size, Health Canada says it is "monitoring the situation and will continue to inform the public about the harms of alcohol." But experts say more needs to be done to better protect people. At this time, Stockwell says the best guidance for Canadians is to follow the recommendations by the CCSA. "The pressure is mounting," said Stockwell, though he noted how challenging it is given the power of large commercial alcohol companies. People more aware of health risks: Expert The new research doesn't account for increased alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic, but research in Canada found that alcohol-related illnesses did significantly increase during that time. It also doesn't account for early suggestions that people have been drinking less post-pandemic, says Stockwell. "There's been a shift in the awareness out there in the public … about the health impacts," he said. That's why he expects future research to show a drop in alcohol-related illnesses, like liver disease. He says this is also partly due to inflation.
Canada News.Net
4 days ago
- Canada News.Net
USDA revives insect warfare to protect livestock and wildlife
TOPEKA, Kansas: In a campaign that sounds more like a science fiction plot than public policy, the U.S. government is preparing to breed billions of sterile flies and release them from planes over Mexico and southern Texas. The objective? To combat the deadly New World screwworm — a flesh-eating maggot that threatens to wreak havoc on livestock, wildlife, and even household pets. Though bizarre, this approach has proven effective in the past. The targeted pest, the larval form of the New World screwworm fly, feeds on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals. Female flies lay their eggs in open wounds or mucous membranes, and once hatched, the larvae burrow into flesh, causing severe pain, infection, and — if untreated — death. A single infestation can kill a 1,000-pound cow in under two weeks. To halt the fly's spread, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will release millions of sterile male flies into the wild. These flies, irradiated to prevent fertility, mate with wild females, but no offspring are produced. Over time, the pest population collapses. "It's an exceptionally good technology," says Edwin Burgess, an entomologist at the University of Florida. "It's one of the great scientific solutions to a large-scale problem." This method of biological pest control — called the Sterile Insect Technique — was instrumental in eradicating screwworms from the U.S. and much of Central America by the late 20th century. A fly production facility in Panama, jointly operated by the U.S. and regional partners, has served as the front line of defense, keeping the flies contained in South America. But in late 2024, the screwworm reappeared in southern Mexico, triggering alarms. In response, the USDA plans to expand production by building a new fly factory in southern Mexico by July 2026. Meanwhile, a fly distribution center will open in Texas by the end of this year to receive sterile flies from Panama if needed. Historically, from 1962 to 1975, over 94 billion sterile flies were released in North America to drive the screwworm to extinction. One biological advantage makes this tactic potent: female screwworm flies mate only once in their short adult lives. Ensuring that the majority of them pair with sterile males effectively halts the reproductive cycle. Still, the risk is real and immediate. In May, the U.S. temporarily closed its southern border to live imports of cattle, horses, and bison. It may not reopen fully until September. The screwworm can infect any warm-blooded animal — including humans — and its return would be a devastating blow to the beef industry. Decades ago, the U.S. maintained fly-breeding facilities in Florida and Texas, but those closed after the screwworm was declared eradicated. Now, the USDA wants to scale up again, targeting production of up to 400 million sterile flies per week. This effort will involve US$8.5 million for the Texas distribution hub and $21 million to convert an old fruit fly facility in Mexico. Producing flies isn't as simple as it sounds. Females must be induced to lay eggs, and larvae need a nutritious diet. Past diets included mixtures of horse meat and honey, and later, blood plasma and egg powder. Once mature, the larvae — resembling dark brown Tic Tacs — are packed into sawdust trays to pupate. Even logistics carries risk. Last month, a plane distributing flies near Mexico's Guatemala border crashed, killing three crew members. Air drops, typically conducted with light aircraft, still use variations of mid-century methods — either paper cups or crates dispensed through mechanical devices. Experts warn that once the pest is again under control, the infrastructure should not be dismantled. "Declaring total victory is tempting," says Burgess, "but nature has a way of surprising us. A pest like this can always return."
