Mating-related chemical changes in New World screwworm identified

Researchers at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have discovered that mating changes the chemical coating on the New World screwworm, a fly species with maggots that can cause serious tissue destruction and deadly diseases in livestock and other animals. The findings may help scientists better understand how the insects recognize mates and could provide leads for future monitoring and control methods.