More than 4,200 properties in San Diego County, Los Angeles and Orange County were sprayed last year. Residents will be individually notified 24 hours before the ?EUR??,,????'??limited ground sprays of insecticides?EUR??,,????'?? start in March and continue through April, said Debby Tanouye, manager of the pest detection agency. Residents will be asked to close all windows and remove lawn furniture, laundry and pet dishes.

The weevil is slightly larger than a dime and feeds on ornamental, native and commercial plants, such as roses, palms and citrus trees. The adult insect eats the leaves above ground, while larvae feed on the roots. Another round of insecticide will be applied in July to kill the second stage of its life cycle.

The weevil entered California in shipments of ornamental nursery plants and has been intercepted by state officials more than 20 times since 1974.