Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has announced renewed efforts to combat the reemergence of the New World screwworm (NWS) near the U.S. border.
In collaboration with the USDA, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is reintroducing Swormlure-5 bait—an improved synthetic attractant that targets adult screwworm flies. When paired with insecticides like Dichlorvos, Swormlure-5 may significantly aid eradication. The bait is species-specific, affecting only screwworm and blow flies while posing no threat to pollinators such as honeybees and monarchs.
“We’ve beaten the NWS before, and we’ll do it again,” Miller said. He emphasized the need for unified action and called Swormlure-5 a potential gamechanger for repeating the successful eradication efforts of the 1970s.
