NEWSNATION - During the late 1800s and well into the 1900s, the New World screwworm invaded the U.S., devastating livestock and requiring a decades-long eradication campaign.
During that time, the fly could be found from California to Florida.
Eventually, scientists discovered that by releasing sterile male flies into the air, they could all but eliminate the species.
“By 1966, California was one of the last places the fly was eradicated from,” said Alec Gerry, a professor of veterinary entomology at the University of California, Riverside.