Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has announced a bold step forward in the battle against New World screwworm (NWS). Working closely with USDA and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is spearheading efforts to reintroduce an improved pest control method to NWS — Swormlure Bait.
“The New World screwworm is not just a Texas problem,” Miller says. “This is a nationwide crisis with potential massive implications for American agriculture, which could result in billions of dollars in economic losses and place a heavy burden on our agriculture, wildlife industries and public health systems. We cannot wait for sterile flies alone to turn the tide. That’s why we’re applying a little cowboy logic and bringing back Swormlure, now with an enhanced formula that’s more powerful and effective than ever.”
The NWS issue has shut down cattle imports from Mexico into the U.S.
The NWS was eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s but experienced an isolated outbreak in the 1970s. It was ultimately eliminated again through a coordinated response that included the release of sterile flies, deployment of the Swormlure-2 attractant, and application of the insecticide Dichlorvos.
What is Swormlure?
A synthetic bait designed to attract adult screwworm flies, Swormlure may be highly effective when combined with insecticides, such as Dichlorvos, in eradicating NWS. Miller has directed TDA to lead development and deployment of this bait to enhance eradication efforts.
“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 explains.
Swormlure-5 bait, when used as an attractant and capture tool, is highly targeted. The attractant only impacts screwworm and blow flies and should pose no threat to beneficial insects such as honeybees, monarch butterflies or other pollinators.
“Today, we’re doing it smarter, faster and stronger. Swarmlure-5 bait will attract and trap flies, specifically screwworm and blow flies, which are both better off dead,” Miller adds. “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.”
This effort should reinforce existing sterile fly operations and supercharge early detection and suppression of screwworm fly populations.
This collaboration with USDA and Rollins emphasizes Texas’ leadership in agricultural biosecurity. TDA will coordinate the deployment of specialized Swormlure-5 traps to monitor and control potential hotspots in collaboration with USDA, the Government of Mexico and other state and federal partners.
“We’ve beaten the NWS before, and we’ll do it again. But it will take all hands on deck,” Miller adds. “We need another success story like we had in the ’70s, and I believe Swormlure-5 bait is the game-changer that will get us there.”
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