Malathion Spraying Set in 2nd Neighborhood

State agricultural officials said Thursday that ground spraying of malathion will be conducted next week in a second neighborhood in the Koreatown area of the city.

The spraying on Monday and Tuesday will involve 75 properties near the 1200 block of South Wilton Place, where a male Medfly was found last week in a guava tree, the officials said. Owners of the affected properties will be notified by the state before the spraying begins, said spokesman Carl DeWing.

Ground spraying of a protein bait laced with malathion was conducted this week in a Koreatown neighborhood near the 1700 block of Catalina Street, where a pregnant Medfly was trapped in a peach tree on Oct. 7. It was the first such discovery in the state since last fall. In addition to the spraying, state agricultural officials have also established a 47-square-mile quarantine area intended to help control the spread of the crop-destroying pest.