CAMARILLO : No Problems Cited in 2nd Aerial Spraying

As Camarillo residents pulled plastic tarps off cars and hosed down patios Thursday, officials said the second aerial spraying to combat a Medfly infestation went off as planned.

The spraying, which began at 9 p.m. Wednesday, covered 16 square miles and ended just after 1 a.m.

“Everything went fine. There were no complications at all,” said Aurelio Posadas, a program supervisor with the state Department of Food and Agriculture.

A preliminary check showed that the trio of Bell helicopters spewing the mixture of malathion and bait stayed within the boundaries of the spray zone, Posadas said.

St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital officials said they received no patients who complained of ill effects from the spraying.

And Dr. Gary Feldman, Ventura County’s public health officer, said no one complained to the health department Thursday.

“I’m very pleased we didn’t have a flurry of concerns,” he said.

Feldman said he would not know for several days if any pesticide-related illnesses were reported to state officials.

The second aerial assault prompted only 226 calls to a hot line run by the Cooperative Medfly Project in the city of Bell. The first spraying Oct. 12 spurred 1,100 calls.

Cleanup efforts at schools were aided Thursday by volunteers from four packinghouses and parents who arrived at campuses in the spray zone about 6:30 a.m.

The aerial spraying is aimed at eradicating a Mediterranean fruit fly infestation that was discovered Sept. 29 on the grounds of St. John’s Seminary near Camarillo. The fruit fly destroys crops by laying eggs inside fruit. The developing larvae destroy the fruit by eating the pulp.

The series of sprayings is expected to continue through April.