A nasty little bug is making its way up the diplomatic agenda. The US Department of Agriculture is fighting a screwworm outbreak in Mexico and Central America with an army of irradiated flies and scent-trained dogs. UK animal health experts are watching closely.
The threat is real. The New World screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax, lays its eggs in open wounds. The larvae eat living flesh.
Death is a common outcome for untreated livestock. The preferred US weapon? Sterile male flies.
They are released by the millions. They mate with wild females. No offspring.
The population collapses. It is a proven tactic. A Panamanian barrier has kept the pest south of the Darien gap for decades.
But climate change and porous borders are ringing alarm bells. British authorities are scrambling. Defra sources confirm contingency plans are being updated.
There is no room for complacency. The trade impact would be brutal. Screwworm is notifiable.
An outbreak would shut down exports. Northern Ireland's agri-food sector is especially vulnerable. The political game is now one of preparedness.
The real test will be at border controls. Heathrow and Dover are the new frontlines. The dogs?
They are being trained to sniff out infested animals. The flies? They are being readied in labs.
The clock is ticking. This is Whitehall's new nightmare: a flesh-eating worm that respects no borders.
