Boards & Aerial black fly suppression operations
Friday, June 3, 2022
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will conduct aerial black fly suppression operations on Friday, June 3rd on the Main Stem of the Susquehanna River. This operation will include flights in Cumberland, Dauphin, Juniata, Lancaster, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, and York Counties. This operation will start in Northumberland County at approximately 7:00 am and work south towards York County. The helicopter will be a Bell 205 with the tail number N648HA and is painted white with red striping.
Helicopter Applicators Inc. will be dispersing Vectobac SC, 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 SC is a thick brown liquid resembling chocolate milk. The helicopter will fly low near tree top level and release the Vectobac SC at various predetermined positions on the river.