WILKES-BARRE -- Waving off bugs has become the motion of the summer in Luzerne County. It's affecting people out for a walk, Newswatch 16 reporters about to go on TV, and people we're interviewing.
Walter Sweetra had some around him at Wilkes-Barre's Kirby Park, but knows they get much worse.
"We're out hoeing around the tomatoes, they're swarming all over you. It's like this chasing them, getting into my bald head," Sweetra said.
Rawlyn Michaels works outside all day at Edward's Landscaping in Forty Fort.
"The gnats here are crazy, I'm telling you. You just walk around do your work, close your eyes, and you're just trying to hurry up and do your work. Keep your mouth shut," said Michaels.
Gnats are technically called black flies, and they do bite. Some times of the day they're much worse.
"I never remember them this bad," added Sweetra.
The state has a program to spray rivers and streams for the black flies; that's where those gnats come from. That was done on the Susquehanna in Luzerne County in May. But that program has run out of money and there's no word when it will resume.
The DEP says helicopters won't be going up to spread the naturally occurring bacteria to kill the black flies or gnats until at least after the state budget is resolved. That could take weeks.
"Oh, that's great," laughed Bob Buynak.
In the meantime, the Buynaks are having their own yard treated.
"I'm having the yard sprayed, it's that bad," said Linda Buynak.
"Oh, my gosh, you go out and they're flying all over you, getting in your ears which is very annoying when you're cutting grass," Bob added.
And they'll likely be bugging people outside for a while.
