Release planned to curb pests

Sterile male Mexican fruit flies will be dispersed in parts of San Diego County.

- By KORI MCNAIR

Millions of sterile male Mexican fruit flies will be released over parts of San Diego County after one mated female fruit fly was detected around Spring Valley, according to food and agriculture regulators.

In an effort to dramatically reduce the population of the harmful fruit fly, authorities will launch a “sterile insect technique,” which means the sterile male flies will be dispersed either from the air or the ground to mate with wild female flies, resulting in an end to the fly’s reproduction process.

Sterile insect technique has been used for years to decrease and control pests. A news release from the California Department of Food and Agriculture did not say when the fly release would begin or end.