New World Screwworm Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Insecta: Diptera: Calliphoridae)

The New World screwworm (NWS) is a type of fly whose larvae (maggots) feed exclusively on the living tissues of warm-blooded animals. UF/IFAS is monitoring the spread of NWS and providing resources for livestock managers, veterinarians, wildlife officials, and community leaders across Florida. Please go to the UF/IFAS New World Screwworm website for access to materials and science-based resources that may not be available on this site.

Any suspected cases of New World screwworm in Florida should be immediately reported to FDACS.

Featured Creatures collection was founded in1996, a cooperative venture of the University of Florida's Entomology and Nematology Department and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Division of Plant Industry.  It provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids and other organisms. 

The Department of Entomology and Nematology maintains tripartite priorities consistent with the mandate given to full-service landgrant universities and associated experiment stations: Research, Extension, and Academics. These programs are facilitated with state funding, extramural contract and grant funding, donations and gifts, and the collaborative efforts of cooperating agencies and institutions. The Department has coordinated faculty efforts and strengths into what could be considered major thrust areas for the Department. These areas of emphasis include: Behavior, Ecology, and Systematics; Biological Control; Medical, Veterinary and Urban Entomology; Nematology; Pest Management; and Physiology, Biochemistry, and Genetics.