Dreaded Screwworm Has Reached Texas

UPDATE Jun 4, 2026 12:30 AM CDT

The US Department of Agriculture confirmed Wednesday that the New World screwworm fly has reached south Texas, the AP reports. A case of the flesh-eating parasite in a 3-week-old calf in La Pryor has been confirmed, and a 12-mile quarantine zone has been established. Officials stressed that the calf should recover with treatment, the larvae do not infest food, no other cases have been detected in the US, and a mass infestation is still unlikely in the country. The fly was eradicated from the US in the 1970s after causing tens of millions of dollars in losses, and this is the first confirmed case in Texas since 1966.

Jun 3, 2026 3:30 PM CDT

Texas cattle traders are on edge over a suspected case of a destructive flesh-eating parasite, but officials say there's still no confirmed infection in the state. Samples taken Tuesday from two calves on a ranch near La Pryor were sent to a federal lab in Iowa to determine whether they contain New World screwworm, according to Texas Rep. Don McLaughlin, who said the larvae "look like it" but stressed the finding is unconfirmed. The USDA confirmed the development on X, adding "we will provide updates the moment results are available."

McLaughlin detailed one possible infestation as being detected in an umbilical cord wound of a calf. A photo viewed by Reuters shows a bloody wound packed with worm-like larvae, though the image hasn't been independently verified and it's not clear if it depicts what McLaughlin referenced. The USDA notes "we have already activated personnel on the ground and are working with local partners." Analysts have warned an outbreak could cause an estimated $1.8 billion hit to Texas' economy and tighten beef supplies. Washington has already halted cattle imports from Mexico for more than a year and is funding sterile-fly programs and expanded surveillance to keep the parasite out.