COVINA : 2 New Medflies Found Outside Quarantine Area

Officials on Tuesday announced the discovery of two Mediterranean fruit flies in Covina, about two miles east of a quarantine area established in October after other Medfly finds.

The mature male flies were found Saturday in an orange tree near Grandview and Badillo streets, said Larry Hawkins, a spokesman for the Cooperative Medfly Project, a joint federal, state and county program.

Officials have for several weeks been releasing 250 million sterile Medflies per week in the 312-square-mile area under quarantine. Hawkins said officials expect to determine in the next three weeks whether the Medflies found Saturday represent a new infestation.

Inspectors have made two other Medfly discoveries in the last two weeks outside the quarantine area, in Artesia and Pico Rivera. Both finds involved a single Medfly.