County announces Tuesday/Wednesday black fly spraying

LOCK HAVEN, PA – Clinton County government has posted word that a black fly spraying program will be moving through the county on Tuesday and Wednesday this week:

An aerial black fly suppression operation has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 21, 2022 and Wednesday, June 22, 2022 on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and local streams including Penns, Middle, Loyalsock, Pine, Sinnemahoning, and Chest Creeks.

This operation will begin near Selinsgrove Tuesday morning and will move up river, ending Tuesday afternoon near Hyner. It will then continue Wednesday morning beginning near either Hyner or Clearfield. It will continue up river ending in Clearfield on Wednesday.

This aerial application will include flights in Northumberland, Snyder, Union, Lycoming, Clinton, and Clearfield Counties. The helicopter will be a Bell 206 Long Ranger with the tail number N651HA and is black.

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.

If you have any questions regarding these operations or the Program in general, please contact 570-327-3782 or email krbrown@pa.gov.