Why The US Drops Millions of Flesh Eating Worms On Central America Almost Everyday

If you were to stumble upon the fact that the United States spends a whopping $15 million annually to airdrop flesh-eating worms on Central America, it would undoubtedly raise brows and prompt numerous questions. However, despite the initial shock value, this seemingly bizarre approach plays a crucial role in combating a deadly and devastating pest – the New World screwworm. This is everything that you didn’t know about this dangerous parasite and what is being done to combat it’s invasion.

What is the New World Screwworm?

The New World screwworm, or Cochliomyia hominivorax, is a flesh-eating parasite infamous for its ability to cause severe damage to warm-blooded animals. This, terrifyingly, includes humans. The female screwworms lay eggs in wounds or moist body openings of animals, and once hatched, the larvae feed on living flesh. This results in excruciating pain and potential fatality if left untreated. This pest has long posed a significant threat to livestock and wildlife in Central America, leading to extensive economic losses and posing a risk to public health.

These parasitic worms, capable of infesting any warm-blooded animal including cattle, deer, squirrels, pets, and even humans, were a major threat in the southern United States, causing significant economic losses due to the millions of dollars’ worth of cattle they killed annually. Named after a horrifying outbreak among prisoners on Devil’s Island in South America, where they were known as “man-eaters,” the screwworms found their way into their hosts through any opening in the skin, leading to widespread devastation.

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What is Being Done About It

In the 1950s, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiated a groundbreaking effort to eradicate the New World Screwworm from the country, spanning from Florida to California. This ambitious project aimed to create an entire country free of screwworms, ultimately leading to a successful eradication campaign not only in the U.S. but also in Mexico and Central America down to the Isthmus of Panama. After years of dedicated work, the screwworms were eradicated from these regions, marking a significant achievement in the battle against this deadly parasite.

A Continuously Wormy Challange

Despite the successful eradication efforts, maintaining the containment of the screwworms remains a continuous challenge. An international screwworm barrier has been established along the Panama-Colombia border, with the USDA diligently working to keep the parasite at bay. In a remarkable display of scientific innovation and dedication to combating this pervasive threat, a cooperative government entity, in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), operates a facility in Panama dedicated to breeding and sterilizing millions of screwworms. The process involves irradiating the worms at a precise stage of their development to render them sterile. This sterilized mass of flesh-eating worms is then meticulously packaged, loaded onto aircraft, and airdropped across the Panamanian isthmus, effectively inundating the region with the incapable-of-reproduction pests.

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How It Works

While the concept of airdropping flesh-eating worms may seem peculiar, the underlying science is both fascinating and effective. By introducing sterilized screwworms to the wild, the native population is overridden by the sterile newcomers, thereby suppressing their ability to reproduce and reducing the overall population. As a result, the threat of screwworm infestation to livestock and humans diminishes significantly. The innovative approach has contributed to saving countless warm-blooded animals, including humans, from the agonizing and potentially fatal consequences of screwworm parasitism.

The Bottom Line

So, while the airdropping of sterilized screwworms on Central America may initially sound like a plot from a science fiction novel, the reality is far from fiction. This unconventional yet effective method demonstrates the collaborative efforts and scientific ingenuity aimed at safeguarding the region’s agriculture, wildlife, and public health from the scourge of the New World screwworm. The initiative serves as a testament to the relentless pursuit of innovative solutions to combat prevalent threats, benefiting both the affected regions and the global community. As such, the unusual practice of airdropping flesh-eating worms stands as a remarkable example of effective and out-of-the-box problem-solving in the realm of agricultural and environmental protection.

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