CAMARILLO : Threat of Rain Halts Medfly Spraying

For the second time in two weeks, agricultural officials Tuesday canceled a planned aerial spraying of malathion over eastern Camarillo, fearing that rainstorms expected to reach the area tonight would render the Medfly-killing pesticide ineffective.

The decision to cancel what would have been the 10th spray mission over the 16-square-mile Medfly eradication zone came early Tuesday afternoon, said Doug Hendrix, a spokesman for the state and federal Cooperative Medfly Project.

A spraying scheduled Feb. 28 was canceled after rainstorms lashed Ventura County.

Hendrix said agriculture officials--barring more inclement weather--have rescheduled the next spraying of malathion for Tuesday at 9 p.m.

National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Most said there was a 60% chance of rain hitting the county by late tonight.

Hendrix said officials scrubbed Tuesday’s spray mission because state regulations forbid the aerial application of pesticides whenever there is a 50% or greater chance of rain falling over a spray zone within 24 hours of an application, or when there are winds in excess of 10 m.p.h.

The last successful spray mission was Feb. 15.

Officials said the delays have not been cause for concern because recent cool weather has retarded the crop-destroying insect’s life cycle.

Hendrix said Tuesday that the total number of wild Mediterranean fruit flies caught in traps remains at 66 since Nov. 21, when the last two fertile insects were discovered.