California to release millions of sterile insects marked with purple dye | Blaze Media

California to release millions of sterile insects marked with purple dye | Blaze Media:

 On October 18, the department quarantined 69 square miles in Los Angeles County after two wild Mediterranean fruit flies, also called medflies, were discovered in the Leimert Park neighborhood. In a press release announcing the quarantine, the CDFA stated that it is working with the United States Department of Agriculture to address the fruit fly infestation. The CDFA told Los Angeles County residents that it plans to aerially release sterile male medflies as part of its Mediterranean Fruit Fly Preventive Release Program, first launched in 1996.