State to spray Potomac River for black flies

Maryland will spray the Potomac River north of Brunswick on Wednesday to tamp down black fly populations along the river.

The river will be treated at 8 a.m. with a naturally occurring larvicide called Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, more commonly known as Bti. Residents should not be alarmed if they see a green and white helicopter spraying the river or temporarily discolored water Wednesday morning between Harpers Ferry and Brunswick.

The treatment was announced on Monday as part of the state’s Black Fly Pilot Program to reduce nuisance populations of the fly in Maryland.

“We’re not eradicating black flies. It’s just controlling the population,” said Tom Parham, director of the Tidewater Ecosystem Assessment Division at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

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