More Medflies Discovered in Camarillo Area

Thirty-one more Medflies were trapped in an orange grove at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, halting shipments of produce from the area, authorities said Monday.

The 31 Medflies, all wild males, were found within a quarter mile of the original pair of fertile females trapped Friday in eastern Camarillo.

The newly trapped Medflies mean a quarantine of the area is imminent, officials said, with California Secretary of Food and Agriculture Henry Voss expected to sign the order this week.

The quarantine area will probably encompass 81 square miles, fanning out along a 4.5-mile radius in all directions from the original find, unless more Mediterranean fruit flies are found farther from the original site, officials said.

Trapping will continue this week to determine the extent of the infestation.

The choices for combatting the infestation are ground or aerial spraying of the pesticide malathion or releasing sterile male flies to mate with wild females, agricultural officials said. Gov. Pete Wilson would first have to declare an emergency before Voss could order aerial spraying, a spokesman for the governor said.