PA DEP will be conducting an aerial black fly suppression operation

PA DEP aerial black fly (gnat) suppression operations are scheduled for Wednesday, June 25, 2025, on the Schuylkill River, Neshaminy Creek, & Perkiomen Creek. The operation will begin at approximately 8:00 am at Wings Field in Montgomery County and will include flights in Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, Berks, and Schuylkill counties. (Philadelphia borders the work being conducted in Montgomery County on the Schuylkill River).

Neshaminy Creek: From Playwicki Park, Langhorne upstream to the Rt 611 Bridge in Doylestown.
Perkiomen Creek: From the confluence with the Schuylkill River in Oaks upstream to Spring Mountain in Schwenksville.
Schuylkill River: From the City Avenue bridge in Philadelphia upstream to the Kernsville Lake Dam in Schuylkill County.

On Thursday, June 26, 2025 on the Delaware River and the Lehigh River Dam. The operations will begin after 8:00 am at Braden Airpark and will include flights in Bucks, and Northampton counties.

The helicopter used for these operations will be a Bell 206 Long Ranger with tail number N660HA and is white with blue and red stripes.

Spray operations will specifically take place within the following sections of each river:

Delaware River Between Slateford in Northampton County to the area near Trenton, NJ/Yardley, PA in Bucks County.
Lehigh River At the Easton Dam at the confluence of the Delaware River.

Helicopter Applicators Inc. will be dispersing Vectobac 12AS, which is a Bti product manufactured by Valent Biosciences. Bti is short for Bacillus thuringiensis var. israilensis, 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 brown liquid with a fish oil odor. The helicopter will fly low near tree top level and will release the Vectobac at various predetermined positions on each stream. Vectobac is not toxic to fish or other aquatic organisms. Attached is a copy of the Vectobac label and safety data sheet in case you would need information on the product.

Please note that this work does NOT involve a helicopter spraying over the entire county and applications will only occur on the specific waterways listed in this notice.

For more information on the program please visit the Black Fly Program website: Black Fly or click the YouTube photo below.