An aerial black fly suppression operation has been scheduled for Wednesday, June 1, on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and local streams including Chest, Sinnemahoning, Pine, Penns and Middle Creek.
This operation will begin near Clearfield on Wednesday morning and will move down river, ending Wednesday afternoon in Selinsgrove.
This aerial application will include flights in Clearfield, Clinton, Lycoming, Snyder, Union and Northumberland counties. The helicopter will be a Bell 206 Long Ranger with the tail number N651HA and is black and silver.
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.
For more information, please visit Pennsylvania’s Black Fly Suppression Web site: https://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/ProgramIntegration/Vector-Management/BlackFly/Pages/default.aspx.