The California Medfly Attack

The California Medfly Attack

Author: Unresolved Productions September 23, 2025 Duration: 31:51
"State officials have probably noticed an increase as well as an unusual distribution of Medfly infestation in Los Angeles County since March 1989. This was no coincidence."

The Mediterranean fruit fly, better known as the medfly, is about as unassuming as an insect can get. But the pest, native to sub-Saharan Africa, comes with enormous stakes. The medfly can infest more than 200 plant species, proving to be a nightmare for farmers everywhere. For farmers in California, though, they're an existential threat. That's why state officials treat every sighting like a five-alarm fire.

California has been fighting medfly invasions since the mid-1970s, throwing everything at them in an attempt to save their billion dollar agricultural industry. But in 1989, a strange outbreak of medflies were reported in Los Angeles and Orange counties. They appeared in clusters, as if they'd been placed there on purpose. Before long, a mysterious group calling themselves "The Breeders" claimed responsibility for this act of eco-terror...



Research & writing by Amelia White

Hosting, production, and additional research/writing by Micheal Whelan

Learn more about this podcast at http://unresolved.me

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For those drawn to the shadows where stories lack a final page, there's Unresolved: A True Crime & Mystery Podcast. Hosted by Micheal Whelan, this podcast operates on a simple, haunting premise: some questions demand to be asked, even if the answers remain just out of reach. Since 2015, each episode is a deep, respectful exploration into the voids left by history and crime. You'll hear meticulously researched narratives on cold cases that have grown dusty, the enigmatic patterns of unidentified perpetrators, and disappearances that left only silence in their wake. This isn't about easy conclusions; it's about the weight of the unknown. The podcast gives voice to the details that complicate simple theories and honors the lingering questions that haunt families and investigators alike. By focusing on mysteries that refuse to be neatly solved, Unresolved creates a space for thoughtful reflection on the nature of justice, memory, and the stories we can't afford to forget. It's for listeners who find compelling narrative not in resolution, but in the pursuit itself, in following every thread no matter how faint or where it leads. Tune in for a sobering, immersive journey into the cases that defy closure.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Unresolved: A True Crime & Mystery Podcast
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