Flesh-eating screwworm found in Texas calf as ranchers brace for possible spread

The New World Screwworm (NWS) – a parasitic fly that eats the flesh of livestock and other warm-blooded animals – has arrived in South Texas.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed on June 3 that NWS larvae had been identified in a three-week-old calf’s umbilical area in Zavala County, Texas. As of June 11, federal officials had confirmed six total cases, Fox7 Austin reported.

According to the USDA, "NWS is a serious pest that affects livestock...