Let’s face it, as the leaves change colors and the chillier, apple-picking, corn-mazing, pumpkin-carving weather arrives, many of us can’t wait to embrace fall and all its accouterments. Of course, there are those folks that hate winter and feel like Autumn is simply a stepping stone into snow, ice, and cold. Regardless of if you're a fan or not, fall is coming and with it, the increasing problem of rodents. 

There are still a couple of weeks to go before it’s officially fall but already daylight is decreasing, Pumpkin Spice is back at Dunkin’, and the kids have returned to school. Yes, the leaf-peeping season is almost upon us and already we’ve noticed more “fall pests” kicking around. You know it won’t be long before these home-infesting insects and rodents are trying to get inside. If you want to spend the winter without freeloaders in the attic, basement, or on any level in between, keep on reading!

Have you spotted large black ants in your home or on your property this summer? If it’s not protected, there’s a good chance you have because carpenter ants are very active in Maine right now. Of course, there’s the possibility you already have these ants infesting your home and don’t even know it. Let’s dive in and see if we can help you determine whether or not you have a carpenter ant problem and if so, what to do about it.

Freedom and fireworks – that’s a pretty good representation of how many of us recognize and celebrate July 4th every year but of course, there are other ways to acknowledge our country’s Independence. Whether you enjoyed a quiet weekend with the family “upta” camp or spent the holiday playing cornhole, eating good food, and imbibing in your favorite beverage with friends, we hope you had a great time and didn’t let the bugs get to you!

If there’s a downside to summer, it’s probably the bugs. Mosquitoes bite, ticks embed, ants invade, yellow jackets get aggressive… we could go on and on. Instead of dwelling on the pests and the problems they cause, let’s focus on something more positive and that’s preventing summer pests in Maine from taking over your home and property.

What if we told you that one of the most reported infectious diseases in Maine was spread by the bite of an infected deer tick? Would you be surprised? Probably not as the deer tick and Lyme disease have become almost synonymous with one another, especially in the last decade. But what is Lyme disease and is it really anything residents of Litchfield, Manchester, or any other Maine community should be aware of? As May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, we thought now would be a great time to answer these questions.

Have you noticed the increase in daylight hours? How about the fact that temperatures in many Maine communities have been above freezing more than one day in the last couple of weeks? If you take a moment to really look around, you’ll see that spring has arrived in Maine and it won’t be long before we can put the shovels away and pack up the snow gear.  Just in time too to prepare for the onslaught of mosquitoes, ticks, ants, and other springs pests. And speaking of ants, also known as America’s #1 nuisance pest, in today’s post we’re going to spend a few minutes discussing the types of ants commonly found in Maine. 

Browntail moth caterpillars continue to be a significant problem in Maine. So much so, that the Maine Forest Service spent the month of February raising awareness about these pests and encouraging property owners to knock down winter webs on their property in an effort to reduce the impact these caterpillars have on host tree populations and the individuals who are exposed to their toxic hairs.

February is a hard month- the pounds gained over the holidays haven’t magically disappeared, we’re short on Vitamin D, and it is still winter! Now we know, there are plenty of winter fans in Maine and that includes us but we find ourselves anticipating the arrival of spring. There’s just one part of this season that isn’t all sunshine and flowers and that’s the springtime pests that will show up on your doorstep or even inside your home.

It’s official, it’s winter in Maine. Christmas has come and gone, we’ve seen measurable snow on the ground, and it’s been cold! So cold you might wonder how insects and rodents are surviving outside. While some insects have built in systems that allow them to “hibernate”, others take advantage of their close proximity to people and actually spend their winters safe and warm INSIDE homes.

Nobody wants to share their home with mice or other pets, especially during the long, cold winter. Unfortunately, it happens and quite frequently especially in older homes that have lots of openings that opportunistic pests use to enter. Of course, newer homes are not exempt from insect and rodent issues and so with that in mind, our pest control company has put together a few of our top fall pest prevention tips.

It goes without saying that when it gets cold outside rodents head indoors to look for shelter. Because of this, Maine residents need to pay close attention to their homes as we move into fall. We know it might seem a tad bit early to be discussing this given that we are a few weeks away from the official first day of autumn but already our pest control technicians out in the field are seeing signs of large infestations of mice and rats inside homes and businesses. In fact, 80% of our calls in the last few weeks of August were rodent related and we anticipate more property owners will be calling with the same concern(s).

It’s a fact that Maine has a high rate of tick-borne diseases. Since ticks are extremely active right now in Portland, Cumberland, and Gorham as well as throughout Southern Maine, it is imperative that residents use caution when spending time outdoors and take measures to reduce their risk of encountering these biting pests as much as possible. Not sure what that looks like? That’s okay, where here to help by offering simple, yet effective tick prevention tips.

Serving central, coastal, and southern Maine, Ken and Selena have over 30 years of industry experience and are ready to help Maine residents get rid of ants, browntail moth caterpillars, ticks, rodents, raccoons, and other nuisance and destructive pests.

While insect and rodent activity is a year-round problem here in Maine, pests become more noticeable and even more of an issue once summer arrives. Hot weather, precipitation, and an abundance of food make it possible for ants, wasps, and other pests to not only survive but thrive in Camden, Portland, and Boothbay Harbor as well as in cities and towns throughout Maine. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of pests to watch out for this summer.

Lyme disease, an infection caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and spread by infected deer ticks, has been a serious problem here in Maine for several years and reached a record high of over 2,000 reported cases in 2019. Despite the 2020 dip in numbers which according to the Press Herald, a reluctance to seek medical care during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and dry weather last summer resulted in a significant decline of diagnosed Lyme disease cases in Maine in 2020, ticks remain a serious threat to Maine residents.

We realize it may seem a bit early to be talking about ticks since there’s still snow in the forecast for parts of Maine this weekend but make no mistake, ticks are already active! What’s more, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), in their Spring & Summer 2021 Bug Barometer press release last month, noted that there would be an increase in tick activity in New England this coming summer thanks in part to a warm, wet spring and a summer forecast that is expected to be mild and wet. With that in mind, let’s turn our attention to the types of ticks that are most active in Maine.