News In Brief

Los Angeles area sprayed to arrest Mexican fruit fly

Helicoptews began spraying a 41-square-mile area of Los Angeles with insecticide in a battle against the Mexican fruit fly, state agricultural officials said. The fly ''could eventually threaten California's vast citrus, avocado, and peach crops if not dealt with now,'' a Los Angeles County agricultural official said.

Although only about 100 of the flies have been found in the area, garden fruit trees there have become infested with maggots, he said. Sporadic spraying is expected to continue until January.