WILKES-BARRE -- We told you earlier this week about the big problem this summer with all those pesky gnats getting in your face and your hair.
The state is trying to fight the little bugs in an environmentally friendly way.
It is the summer of swatting in places like Wilkes-Barre's Kirby Park, trying to shoo away gnats. Technically they're black flies bugging people who are outdoors.
"Oh, it's awful," said Angela Koval. "You can't even go out because they're in your eyes and in your mouth."
The state launched an aerial attack against the little bugs last month, spraying the Susquehanna River throughout northeastern Pennsylvania.
That spray is actually a bacteria, naturally occurring in soil, that kills those breeding black flies and, the state says, very little else.
"That's how we attack them by spraying this organic substance that's not harmful to the plants or the water, it's just mostly harmful to gnats," said DEP official Colleen Connolly.
While the state is treating the river in an environmentally friendly way, it's actually environmental improvements that have helped lead to this problem -- better water quality on rivers and streams is leading to these bugs.
"Healthy river, more bugs," said Connolly.
The problem is that spray in the river may have cut down on the black flies or gnats.
But they are still a nuisance, so the state DEP is looking into another round of spraying.
"Thank goodness, we need to do something. It's really nice out, but you can't go out because there's all these bugs in your face all the time," Koval added.
And DEP says bug spray doesn't seem to keep them away.
"We have found if you light the tiki torches or the little punks, smoke sticks, that keeps them away a little bit longer because the smoke is continuous," Connolly added.
"We're just putting up with it," said Rebecca Wasniewski.
