Medfly Is Discovered in Brea : Infestation: The fly is the first one discovered in Orange County since Jan. 10. A decision on aerial malathion spraying is pending.
A Mediterranean fruit fly has been trapped in Brea, but state agricultural officials said today that they have not yet decided if aerial spraying of malathion will be resumed.
The fly, found in a trap Friday and confirmed as a Medfly on Saturday, is the first one discovered in Orange County since Jan. 10, said Rick Lefeuvre, a deputy agricultural commissioner in the county.
State agricultural officials have begun ground-spraying of malathion in 48 residential yards near the tree where the fly was detected. They have also taken fruit samples from the area to check for larvae.
The immature, unmated female fly was trapped in a peach tree less than a mile northeast of Puente Lane and Central Avenue. That location is only a quarter of a mile from where a pregnant Medfly was found in Brea last November, triggering Orange County’s first round of spraying earlier this year.
That section of Brea is still under quarantine, which means back yard fruit cannot leave the area.
In all, four have been found in the county and more than 260 in Los Angeles County.
Aerial spraying of malathion hasn’t been conducted in Orange County for two months. The last time malathion was sprayed in Brea was April 30. In all, that area has been sprayed nine times.
The Medfly is considered a serious threat to agriculture because it can destroy more than 200 varieties of fruits and vegetables.
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