Pest Detective ~ Sierra Madre

Agricultural Commisioner/Weights & Measures Dept. ~ County of Los Angeles

Snr. Ortiz is fishing for Mediterranean fruit fly, the far-traveling native of Sub-Saharan Africa also known as the Med fly or Moscamed. These colorful and destructive flies lay their eggs inside thin skinned, juicy ripe fruit. As Inspector Aid to the Pest Detection Division, Snr. Ortiz is placing sticky fly traps baited with pesticide and insect attractant. The traps are periodically retrieved and sent to a labratory in order to target potential outbreaks. In 1989 L.A. County initiated a controversial and short lived campaign to spray Malathion from low flying helicopters over threatened agricultural areas.

To stop the bugs, the food and agriculture department has ordered a series of further aerial sprayings of Malathion over a 270-sq.-mi. area of Los Angeles and Orange counties. Beginning this week, 28 communities with a total population of 1 million will be sprayed by low-flying helicopters. (Times Magazine, 1990.)

Below is a loaded score card ready for testing at the lab.

Snr. Ortiz is one of mother nature's sons, having grown up in the enchanted region of Solola, Guatemala, and later studying agriculture in the capital.

Cotton wick contains 5 ml of 1% Naled (an organophosphorous insecticide), and methyl-eugenol (an insect attractant).

Then Am I

A Happy Fly

If I Live

Or If I Die