SAN FRANCISCO -- Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, on Monday said March plans to aerially spray a pesticide over Marin County to eradicate crop-eating moths should be suspended until the potential health risks are investigated.

The overhead spraying of a synthetic pheromone is part of a statewide campaign to wipe out the light brown apple moth, which feeds on more than 250 agricultural crops and 2,000 types of plants and trees. About 90 months have been spotted in Marin, and spraying there is scheduled for March 4.

Migden cited reports alleging recent spraying in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties made more than 600 people sick. The list of symptoms included asthma-attacks, chest pains, headaches, blurred vision, swollen glands, skin rashes and chronic fatigue.

Since those sprayings, the state generated a new formula for eliminating the moths. But some charge the formula has not been fully tested.

"We have to protect the apple trees, but we don't want poison apples," Migden said in a statement. "Before we see planes flying over Marin County and the rest of the Bay Area dropping pesticides, we want to make sure these substances aren't harmful to the people below."

The light brown apple moth is native to Australia and was detected in the Bay Area about a year ago.