The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will conduct a black fly suppression operation beginning at 10 a.m. today, in Northampton County and continue south and east throughout the day.
Residents of Bucks County's Delaware River communities are advised that helicopter pilots may use several landing sites during this operation, including Riegelsville Borough Park, the Erwinna/Delaware Valley Fire Co. in Tinicum, and the Slack Road Farm in Upper Makefield.
The operation will include a gray (with green stripes) Bell 206-BIII helicopter with the tail number N302MG.
Pilots will be applying VECTOBAC 12AS to waterways to reduce the numbers of adult black flies that hatch from the river and streams. The product being used is a brown, slightly sticky liquid with a fish-like odor. Its active ingredient is a naturally occurring soil bacterium and not a synthetic pesticide.
It will be applied perpendicular to the stream flow in multiple locations along the rivers and streams by a low-flying helicopter. A product label is available upon request.
More info: http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/blackfly and the Delaware Riverkeeper's 4/20/10 press release.
