After a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) New World Screwworm (NWS) aerial dispersal flight lands at the South Texas International Airport, Edinburg, Texas,
the empty dispersal containers are moved to a forklift to be loaded into a refrigerated truck and returned to the Dispersal Facility at Moore Air Base, on Jul. 2, 2026.
On this day, Texas National Guard members train alongside USDA and aircrews to learn aircrew dispersal duties. The dispersal effort is increasing and the men and women from the Guard are needed meet the new operations tempo.
The sterile fly program, built on decades of multinational cooperation, uses continuous aerial release to halt the spread of New World Screwworm by overwhelming wild populations with sterile males. With multi agency coordination—from CBP inspections to USDA documentation, facility processing, Texas National Guard training, and specialized aviation support—the operation demonstrates an intensive, international effort to protect livestock, wildlife, and communities across the region.
Videos are available at
https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/NewWorldScrewworm
Photos are available in the USDA APHIS Collection https://www.flickr.com/photos/usdagov/collections/72157625204032244/
USDA Media by Lance Cheung. Attribution appreciated.
| Date Taken: | 07.02.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2026 14:16 |
| Photo ID: | 9869865 |
| VIRIN: | 260702-P-RD001-7681 |
| Resolution: | 8640x5760 |
| Size: | 13.42 MB |
| Location: | EDINBURG, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 3 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, New World Screwworm Sterile Fly Aerial Dispersal [Image 36 of 36], by Lance Cheung, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.