Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Jefferson County folks with livestock and warm-blooded pets may find it worth the drive to the Florida Gateway Fairgrounds in Lake City on June 18 to learn more about the New World screwworm.
Local experts will present an informative evening beginning at 6:30 p.m. about this invasive organism, what it means for our North Florida communities and how to protect our animals. The speakers lined up include Veterinarian Dr. Tracie Daniels, Veterinarian Entomologist Dr. Ed Burgess, Beef Specialist Dr. Todd Thrift and representatives from the Florida Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“If you own any warm-blooded animals,” the press release states, “this meeting is for you! You will be informed of what to be on the lookout for and how much of a concern this pest is for our livestock, wildlife and pets.”
The USDA's policy brief on this matter states, “New World screwworm (NWS) is a devastating pest. When NWS fly larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of a living animal, they cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal. NWS can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, occasionally birds and in rare cases, people. This is a serious concern to the U.S. economy and the U.S. food supply and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is committed to combatting the spread of NWS to protect American agriculture.”
NWS was eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s and contained to South America using sterile insect technology. In November 2024, however, NWS began spreading northward. As of June 11, 2026, nine cases had been documented in Texas and New Mexico. The USDA has set up a special website, screwworm.gov, for those interested in “a current snapshot of confirmed New World screwworm animal and wild fly detections in the United States.”
The USDA's eradication strategy uses a multi-pronged approach:
• controlling animal movement
• using strong surveillance systems, and
• implementing proven sterile insect technology
The USDA is implementing this strategy in conjunction with federal, state and local government partners, as well as with the public and the private sectors.
Any questions prior to the meeting can be addressed to Ag Agent Paulette Tomlinson at the UF/IFAS Extension Columbia County, 386-758-1030 or apt@ufl.edu.
IN THE FEATURED PHOTO: A New World screwworm fly is about the size of a common housefly or slightly larger, with orange eyes and a metallic blue or green body. Photo Courtesy of the USDA