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Limestone Township flies have abated

The infamous Limestone Township flies have finally died out enough to give area residents much-needed peace, the Lycoming County commissioners said Thursday.

The commissioners, referring to a chicken farm in Limestone Township that proved a breeding ground for swarms of flies over the past five years, were pleased to announce that the issue has subsided despite heavy rains and high humidity, which could have exacerbated the problem.

“I think the issue at hand might be the flies all drowned,” Commissioner Jack McKernan joked.

Turning serious again, the commissioners credited the farmer who took over operations in February, who they said wishes to remain unnamed, for taking strides to fight the flies.

“He certainly deserves a pat on the back, a shake of the hand and a ‘job well done,’ “ McKernan said.

Credit also goes to the community members and officials who got engaged and worked to solve the issue, Mirabito said.

One such community member, Steve Waldman, praised the farmer as well, saying he did in a matter of months what no one else could do in five years. Being able to enjoy sitting outside and open his windows and garage door are rights he felt deprived of for too long, he said.

“I prayed a lot for something to happen,” Waldman said. “God answered our prayers by sending him here. He’s done a tremendous job.”

The farmer learned from a similar experience on his father’s farm in Loganton, Waldman said. To treat the infestation, the farmer brought in bugs to eat fly larvae and used chemicals that kept the chicken manure too dry for fly eggs.

“As wet as it’s been this summer, he’s proven he knows what he’s doing,” he said.

The shrinking number of flies really became noticeable in mid- to late May, Waldman said.

He’s not getting his hopes up just yet, though, he added.

“Gotta keep an eye out,” Waldman said, saying fall and spring can be tricky. “I’m not feeling comfortable yet. Is it going to last?”

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