The move comes as the New World Screwworm fly larvae continues to cause chaos as it infiltrates the US beef industry, affecting wider wildlife, pets and, in rare cases, humans.

According to scientists, the new batches of male sterilised maggots will be dumped over the South American nation and the US state of Texas in a bid to eradicate the vicious variety of flesh-eating larvae.

The US Department of Agriculture is said the male flies, which measure slightly larger than the average housefly, will be sterilised with radiation before being released.

The strategy, set out by scientists, will force the female screwworms to breed with the newly sterilised males.

The flesh-eating variety of the screwworm maggots were eradicated from the US in 1966, but the creatures appear to me making a comeback.

  • protist@mander.xyz
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    12 hours ago

    but that was cut as part of the “government efficiency” fiasco

    I hate Elon, Trump, DOGE, and MAGA as much as the next comrade, but I have seen no evidence this is the case. Where did you get this from?

      • protist@mander.xyz
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        0
        ·
        11 hours ago

        But right after it mentions supply chain issues, it talks about unauthorized migration through the Darien Gap and the illegal cattle trade in Central America. Just saying, criticize where it’s due, and Trump’s due criticism for almost everything he’s done, but this problem is complex and exists independently of him and independently of the United States