We will continue to scrutinize spraying programs to minimize risks to human health and the environment. The questions and answers below contain information on the nature of the current Florida Medfly crisis and the use of the pesticide malathion. Further Information 1. Malathion is an insecticide in the organophosphate group of chemicals and is widely used on many different kinds of food crops. Malathion is registered for controlling insects in homes, gardens, institutional settings, agricultural settings, and for mosquito control.
Applicators mix malathion with a sugary bait that they apply to infested areas.
The sticky food lure attracts the Medflies. The malathion bait treatment targets mature Medflies. Medfly specialists conduct ground spraying first and resort to aerial spraying only when ground spraying is ineffective. As with all pesticides, you should take care to reduce or eliminate any exposure that is not absolutely necessary. EPA has received cooperation from USDA and Florida officials who have designed and put into action a comprehensive set of risk mitigation and protective measures.