Quarantine Lifted as O.C. Declared Free of Medflies
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The agricultural quarantine in Orange County was lifted Friday, with officials hailing the eradication of Medflies.
The quarantine, which covered 62 square miles, had been in effect since last August. Pest control officials released millions of sterile flies to disrupt the breeding cycle.
A dozen Mediterranean fruit flies were captured in Lake Forest and Mission Viejo between July and September last year.
The flies, native to Europe, are known to infest more than 250 kinds of fruits, nuts and vegetables. Some economists have estimated that the pests are responsible for annual crop losses of as much as $1 billion.
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