Experts warn of ways screwworm could spread in the US and new difficulties in keeping it at bay

North America Science Tue, 14 Jul 2026 07:29:34 GMT High confidence — 76/100

When conservationists set up cameras in remote regions of Central American forests, they wanted to monitor illegal cattle movement, which can lead to deforestation.
But in recent months, they discovered another alarming development: wildlife rapidly infected with the new world screwworm.
It’s a warning sign of how the fly could spread in the US – and it signals new difficulties in pushing it back south, a process that will probably take years, experts say.

When conservationists set up cameras in remote regions of Central American forests, they wanted to monitor illegal cattle movement, which can lead to deforestation.
But in recent months, they discovered another alarming development: wildlife rapidly infected with the new world screwworm.
It’s a warning sign of how the fly could spread in the US – and it signals new difficulties in pushing it back south, a process that will probably take years, experts say.

Sources: Guardian