The Consorci de la Ribera, comprising the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta and the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Baixa, works in collaboration with the municipalities of La Ribera to coordinate annual aerial treatments aimed at minimising the presence of the black fly. These treatments were carried out on Thursday 11 June 2026.
This initiative forms part of the vector control service (specifically targeting the tiger mosquito, common mosquito and black fly) provided by the Consorci de la Ribera across a total of 39 municipalities participating in this scheme. The president of the regional authority, Toni Barea, states that “mosquitoes and black flies do not recognise municipal boundaries, so a supra-municipal service covering practically all the municipalities in La Ribera is essential to control this type of pest as effectively as possible”.
The aerial treatment was carried out by helicopter at a total of 11 hard-to-reach points along the Xúquer River and complements the usual treatment carried out on the river using ground-based methods. For the logistics of this campaign, the aircraft’s base of operations was located in Sueca.
From this strategic location, the deployment to the 11 hard-to-reach points has been coordinated; these are situated in various locations across the following municipalities: Sumacàrcer, Antella, Cotes, Gavarda, Alberic, Carcaixent, Alzira, Algemesí, Albalat de la Ribera and Cullera.
Barea explains that “unlike mosquitoes, which breed in pools of stagnant or standing water, the black fly lays its eggs and develops its larvae in flowing watercourses, and the most important flowing watercourse in the Ribera is the Xúquer River. The product used in these aerial treatments is Bacillus thuringiensis, a biological product that has absolutely no effect on either water quality or the river’s flora and fauna. Given the environmental and health safety of this product, the bodies responsible for the river and the environmental authorities authorise its use in a natural environment such as the Xúquer River”.
The aerial treatment has been carried out on this date due to the inaccessibility of the areas caused by the increased flow of the Xúquer River following the opening of the floodgates at the Tous Reservoir. These areas have already been treated previously using ground-based methods whilst conditions permitted.
It should be noted that this treatment is effective only against the black fly. For the control and treatment of the tiger mosquito, monthly operations are carried out in each participating municipality.
“With these measures to control the black fly, alongside all those being carried out by the Consorci de la Ribera to control the tiger mosquito and the common mosquito, the aim is to minimise the impact of these insects on the public as much as possible”, concludes Barea.
