It’s Wednesday, and it seems unfair to make you think about icky stuff in the middle of the week. Will Gottsegen, however, has some bad news for you about the screwworm, a nasty little piece of work that is threatening America’s beef supply.

Put your gloves and goggles on for this one.

Atlantic Trivia

Creepy crawlers

Heading south

Blame game

From a (opens in new tab) story by Will Gottsegen

The New World screwworm isn’t actually a worm. What type of insect does it grow up to be?

Show Hint

It’s the same type as a common household pest.

Question 0

Answer

Submit

Question 2

Find previous questions here, and to get Atlantic Trivia in your inbox every day, sign up for The Atlantic Daily. If you think up a question yourself, send it my way via trivia@theatlantic.com.

About the Author

Tom Nichols

Tom Nichols is a staff writer at The Atlantic and a contributor to the Atlantic Daily newsletter.

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Will Gottsegen, however, has some bad news for you about [the screwworm](https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/2026/06/screwworm-parasite-threatening-cows-beef/687492/), a nasty little piece of work that is threatening America’s beef supply.\n\nPut your gloves and goggles on for this one.\n\n![](https://cdn.theatlantic.com/thumbor/V7s5Lp11Teoc-9fM7SDQjeI0yK4=/0x0:1080x1080/48x48/media/files/games/trivia_emblem_v2.png)\n\n### Atlantic Trivia\n\n#### Creepy crawlers\n\n#### Heading south\n\n#### Blame game\n\nFrom a [(opens in new tab)](https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/2026/06/screwworm-parasite-threatening-cows-beef/687492/) story by Will Gottsegen\n\nThe New World screwworm isn’t actually a worm. **What type of insect** does it grow up to be?\n\nShow Hint\n\nIt’s the same type as a common household pest.\n\nQuestion 0\n\nAnswer\n\nSubmit\n\nQuestion 2\n\n[Find previous questions here](https://www.theatlantic.com/games/trivia/archive/), and to get _Atlantic_ Trivia in your inbox every day, [sign up for The _Atlantic_ Daily](https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/sign-up/atlantic-daily/). If you think up a question yourself, send it my way via [trivia@theatlantic.com](mailto:trivia@theatlantic.com).\n\n#### About the Author\n\n[![](https://cdn.theatlantic.com/thumbor/ReBt4-rEYVPeeYI9z1jwY44FpIY=/0x0:499x499/120x120/media/None/Nichols_head_1/original.jpg)](https://www.theatlantic.com/author/tom-nichols/)\n\n[Tom Nichols](https://www.theatlantic.com/author/tom-nichols/)\n\nFollow\n\n[Tom Nichols](https://www.theatlantic.com/author/tom-nichols/) is a staff writer at _The Atlantic_ and a contributor to the [_Atlantic_ Daily newsletter](https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/sign-up/atlantic-daily/).","freeMarkdown","kind1EventId","kind30023EventId","ac116b11b62e6bd6051a745f3c805b5904615c04c8e426b266bfbf3f9aa7c5d0","kind30023",{"_27":364,"_340":367,"_134":368,"_80":369,"_354":353,"_253":383,"_356":384},"2a267594bbc65e94e38eb790a73c7e9a47f019fc77d8cc489d8a763e41dde47f0f425511dd46baf7a1f1154aa2b164a2bb73a51a7492b747a90a34a48887ba28",30023,[370,373,374,377,378,380,381,382],[371,372],"r","https://news.layer3.press/articles/2807b9c8-73ae-4848-9ae4-001e65edf4a4",[40,239],[375,376],"published_at","1781121600",[44,246],[379,234],"d",[275,240],[350,351],[137,353,39],"Atlantic Trivia: The Worms Are Turning\nWill Gottsegen reports on the New World screwworm, an insect that poses a threat to America's beef supply. The article includes a trivia question about the screwworm's adult form. Information is provided for signing up for Atlantic Trivia and contacting the author.\n - The New World screwworm is a threat to America's beef supply.\n - The article includes a trivia question about the screwworm.\n - Readers can sign up for Atlantic Trivia and submit their own questions.\n",1781121600,"publishedToNostr","htmlContentKind30023","