2 Medflies Found in Camarillo Seminary Grove

Two more Medflies have been found in an eastern Camarillo orange grove, state agriculture officials said Wednesday, bringing the total number of flies trapped to 66 since the infestation was discovered two months ago.

Agricultural workers doing a routine check of panel traps discovered the two male Medflies on Nov. 22, said Doug Hendrix, spokesman for the state and federal Cooperative Medfly Project.

The flies were found in traps in an orange grove on the grounds of St. John’s Seminary, not far from were the first flies were discovered.

Officials planned a fourth aerial application of the pesticide malathion late Wednesday after stiff winds delayed the helicopter spraying over a 16-square-mile eradication zone the night before.

Hendrix said state regulations forbid the aerial application of pesticides in winds of more than 10 m.p.h.

“Tuesday night, we had winds hovering around 12 m.p.h., with occasional gusts as high as 23 or 24 m.p.h.,” Hendrix said. “We canceled the operation around 11:30 p.m. It had become clear that it wasn’t going to get any better.”

National Weather Service meteorologists Wednesday projected evening breezes to 8 m.p.h. for the interior portion of the county the rest of the week.

Slightly stronger winds are forecast for daylight hours today.