Group intends to sue over San Joaquin Valley giant flower-loving fly

The Center for Biological Diversity gave notice on Feb. 22 of its intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “for failing to protect the San Joaquin Valley giant flower-loving fly under the Endangered Species Act.” The hummingbird-sized fly is said to exist in only a small territory south of Bakersfield. The fly was long thought to be extinct, but a few populations were found in the late 1990s. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists the fly’s status as “under review.” In the most recent action, in 2015, the service requested information from stakeholders on whether or not listing is warranted for the fly. The review of this information is listed as active. According to the Center for Biological Diversity’s notice of intent to sue, the primary threat to the fly is habitat loss due to development. — WLJ