Pesticide Spraying to Counter West Nile

Sacramento County is taking to the air to try to slow the West Nile virus.

Two planes will spray the northern part of the county with a diluted pesticide three nights in a row starting today, then spray the most heavily populated areas in the southern parts of the county, officials said.

Twenty-two county residents have contracted the mosquito-borne virus. But some residents have criticized the spraying plan, saying it would kill bees and spiders.

Officials said the concentrations of the pesticide will be large enough to kill mosquitoes and other airborne insects but too small to affect people and other mammals.