5 More Medflies Found; Spraying to Be Expanded

Five Mediterranean fruit flies have been discovered in the Country Club Park area of Los Angeles, bringing to 15 the total number of Medflies trapped countywide during the current infestation, agricultural officials said Tuesday.

To combat the outbreak, officials will expand the ground-spraying of malathion bait to a half-mile radius around each trapping. Previously, the ground spraying was limited to a quarter-mile radius. In addition, Henry Voss, director of the state Department of Food and Agriculture, said he will consider releasing sterile Medflies if more flies are found in the next two weeks. Unlike in previous infestations, however, officials said the release would not be preceded by aerial spraying of malathion.