Millions of Sterile Fruit Flies Released
Associated Press
HIALEAH, Fla. —
Four million sterile Mediterranean fruit flies were dropped over 49 square miles Friday as part of a battle to eradicate the insect, which is a threat to Florida’s citrus industry.
Agriculture officials hope the sterile flies will mate with female Medflies that may have survived four aerial insecticide sprayings over Hialeah last month. When the sterile flies mate, the result is infertile eggs.
A total of 200 million flies will be set free during the next 2 1/2 months, officials said.
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