Black Fly Spraying Scheduled for Tuesday

LOCK HAVEN – Clinton County government passed along word on Monday that a state-authorized black fly spraying project will be conducted over Clinton and five other counties on Tuesday.

Information was shared with the county by Kristin Brown, aquatic biologist, Bureau of Waterways Engineering, Department of Environmental Protection, from Williamsport:

An aerial black fly suppression operation has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 23, 2020 on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and local streams including Penns Creek, Middle Creek, Loyalsock Creek and Pine Creek. This operation will begin near Selinsgrove at 7:00am on Tuesday and will move up river, ending Tuesday afternoon in Renovo. This aerial application will include flights in Snyder, Union, Northumberland, Lycoming and Clinton Counties. The helicopter will be a Bell OH58 with the tail number N659HA and is grey with red and blue stripes.

Helicopter Applicators Inc. will be dispersing Vectobac 12AS, which is a Bti product manufactured by Valent Biosciences. Bti is short for Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis, which is a bacterial larvicide, not a chemical, and is the only product used in Pennsylvania’s waterways for black fly suppression. Vectobac 12AS is a thick brown liquid resembling chocolate milk. The helicopter will fly low near tree top level and release the Vectobac 12AS at various predetermined positions on the river. Attached is a copy of the Vectobac label and an SDS sheet in case you would need information on the product.

Brown said anyone with questions regarding these operations or the program in general, may contact her at 570-327-3782 or email at krbrown@pa.gov.