50 Million Sterile Medflies to Be Released
More than 50 million sterile medflies will be dumped over Irvine and Lake Forest in the next several weeks as state officials intensify their efforts to eradicate the pest.
Beginning today, 7.5 million sterile fruit flies will be dropped each week from planes over a 22-square-mile area in the medfly quarantine zone. The drops will continue through mid-November.
“We will literally breed this insect out of existence,” said Larry Hawkins of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Officials emphasized that the massive release of sterile flies poses no risks to people, although some might notice more of the small insects than usual.
A quarantine zone was declared last week around Lake Forest and parts of Laguna Hills and Irvine because of recent medfly captures.
Officials said the discovery of the insects amounts to a minor infestation that requires immediate action to prevent crop damage.
In addition to the fruit fly release, limited malathion spraying has begun in a 200-meter radius surrounding the first medfly capture.
The corn-syrup-coated malathion is being sprayed by hand in the fruit trees of the 270 homes in the area.
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