A spokesperson for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Canada was overreacting on its temporary restriction. Abbott declared a state of disaster over the parasite.

OTTAWA - Canada is temporarily restricting the import of livestock from Texas over concerns about a parasitic fly with flesh-eating larvae.

New World screwworm larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, creating severe wounds that can be fatal if left untreated.

A spokesperson for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Canada was overreacting on its temporary restriction. Abbott declared a state of disaster over the parasite.

The screwworms primarily target animals, posing a threat to Texas’s multibillion-dollar livestock industry.