In 1980, California released more than 1.5 billion sterile Mediterranean fruit flies after an invasive outbreak threatened over 250 crops, eradicating the infestation before it could permanently invade California's orchards

In 1980, when the Mediterranean fruit fly first appeared in California, agricultural officials feared one of the region’s worst pest invasions since settlement. The medfly, as it is commonly known, can infect more than 250 types of fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and for this reason, it is considered one of the most damaging agricultural pests in the world. The establishment of the pest would have caused considerable economic losses to the multi-billion dollar farming industry in California, along with strict export regulations and continuous damage to crops.

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