fruit fly eggs. Several nations adopted the use of the Harris strain of this wasp to eradicate fruit flies, including Chile, who have been fruit fly free since 1975. This success resulted in Harris being awarded a commendation from the government of Chile. His research formed the basis of California's Mediterranean fruit fly exclusion programme. Harris developed ways to rear Fopius arisanus, a parasite that was designed to attack Mediterranean fruit flies and melon fly. Despite retiring in 2006, Harris continued to work for the USDA in Honolulu until it closed in 2009. Awards and honours 1989 Inducted into the Royal Entomological Society 2012 NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Service 2016 Congressional Gold Medal Select publications Personal life Harris was married to Bettye Jo Harris, who he met in Milwaukee. Together they had three children. References External links African-American scientists People from North Little Rock, Arkansas Scientists from Arkansas Congressional Gold Medal recipients University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni United States Marines 1928 births 2018 deaths 20th-century African-American people 21st-century African-American people