Texas announces Swormlure-5 trapping plan for New World screwworm
In July, the Texas Department of Agriculture announced the development of Swormlure-5 bait, which could be used to trap and kill New World screwworms that have been threatening the livestock industry at the Southern Border. On Sept. 26, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller outlined the strategy the department plans to follow with the bait to defend the United States border and end the NWS threat.
“Swormlure-5, created using modern science and built upon previous versions, Swormlure-2 and Swormlure-4, is a potent synthetic attractant that mimics the scent of open wounds, drawing adult screwworm flies to the bait, where they die,” Miller explained. “In prior research and deployment, this method eliminated approximately 90% of the flies within a two-to-four-week period. The remaining 10% were eliminated with the release of sterile male flies in the areas where traps were deployed.”
TDA plans to place Swormlure-5 traps in high-risk zones to prevent this flesh-eating insect from entering the U.S. A TDA press release listed three of the regions Texas will place the traps in the first phase of the plan. The first area will be the Texas-Mexico border, from the Maverick/Webb County line west of Laredo to Brownsville. The second location will be along TDA export pens in Brownsville, Del Rio, El Paso, Laredo, and Houston. Finally, traps will be placed in Galveston and Corpus Christi.
“The strength of this plan lies in its focus and precision,” Miller said in the press release. “By concentrating our efforts where the risk is greatest, we maximize our chances of early detection and eradication if necessary. Texas will not be caught off guard.”
All Swormlure-5 bait traps will be installed in accordance with the NWS Response Fly Surveillance and Site Selection Methods. Each trap will be documented and monitored, including photographic records of its condition. TDA plans to inspect traps weekly and any flies collected will be sorted and initially identified by TDA personnel.
Suspect samples will be packaged with the appropriate U.S. Department of Agriculture form and sent for confirmation to the agency’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories Parasite Identification Lab. TDA stated this coordinated plan was designed to facilitate and allow for swift response to NWS detection for the U.S.
“The New World screwworm poses a serious threat to Texas livestock and rural communities,” Miller said. “We are taking proactive steps to monitor, detect, and stop this parasite before it harms Texas agriculture. Our farmers, ranchers, and consumers depend on us being ready, and we will be.”
Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].
