Sterile fruit flies to the rescue
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Agriculture officials will release millions of sterile Mexican fruit flies in parts of Los Angeles County to curb an infestation that could affect the state’s agriculture industry.
County agricultural commissioner Ken Pellman says four Mexican fruit flies, including one mated female, were discovered in the Azusa area this month. About 6.5 million sterile flies will be released in the area once a week to stop the reproductive cycle of the crop-destroying insect.
Mexican fruit flies lay eggs in fruit, and when the larvae hatch, they eat through the pulp of the fruit and destroy it.
Pellman said fruit has already been stripped from 64 properties near sites where the fruit flies were found.
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