The U.S. plans to drop billions of sterile flies over Mexico to combat the “butcher’s firefly,” a parasite that poses a serious threat to the cattle industry, wildlife and domestic animals. This ecological and effective method consists of preventing the reproduction of these parasites by using sterile males. A plant in Mexico and a distribution center in Texas will be operational soon to support this initiative. The U.S. wants to protect the cattle industry from a flesh-eating parasite by dropping sterile flies. The “butcher’s firefly” is a tropical larva capable of killing a cattle in two weeks. The method consists of releasing sterile males to stop the reproduction of parasites, a strategy considered ecological and effective. It reduces pest populations without the use of chemical pesticides, which is beneficial for the environment. A fly production plant and distribution center will be opened in Mexico and Texas. This method has been used successfully in the past. In addition to protecting cattle, the method has been used to control the Mediterranean fruit fly.
Source: Le Figaro
