Ticks
Ticks are arachnids and even though they don’t necessarily harm trees directly they are commonly found in wooded areas or grassy areas nearby. There are fifteen different types of ticks in Maine but the most common are the Blacklegged Tick (Deer Tick), American Dog Tick, and Woodchuck Tick. Ticks are a major pest in Maine because of their ability to transmit diseases by infecting hosts they bite. Some of these diseases can cause serious long-term effects to human and domestic animal health such as Lyme Disease, which can cause arthritis, issues with the neurological system, and even death in extreme cases.
All ticks utilize various hosts throughout their lives and have three active life stages (larva, nymph, and adult). It takes multiple years for them to mature to adulthood however, ticks can bite at all life stages, and they are active early spring to late fall.
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are not direct pests to trees however, they can be found in grassy and wooded areas. There are 45 species of mosquitoes found in Maine and half of them are considered biting pests to humans. Female mosquitoes require a blood-meal to produce and lay eggs and all mosquitoes breed in standing water. Mosquitoes are also vectors of serious human diseases such as West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
Mosquito larvae begin hatching from eggs in late-March and adults begin emerging in late-April. Each species is different on timing, but they all remain active for several weeks or months. They are most active at dawn and dusk and on overcast days. When they aren’t active, they typically rest in grassy areas.
Tick & Mosquito Treatment Options
At Hawkes Tree Service we care about keeping your family safe from ticks and mosquitoes on your property. We offer treatment plans to keep your property protected through all seasons. Based on the needs of your property, we will treat using targeted landscape sprays on your lawn and vegetated areas where these pests reside. Call us today for a free property evaluation!
Maine Pest Control Guidelines
The State of Maine has strict guidelines for which products and treatment methods may be used for Winter Moth within 250 feet of the mean high water mark. These laws are designed to protect the integrity of marine ecosystems and habitats. Inside this setback zone we recommend individual tree injections. Soil injections use a small volume of product inserted near the base of the tree’s root flares where the fibrous root hairs can absorb it. The systemic product is translocated throughout the tree with other nutrients and delivered to the new tissue in growing leaves.
Trunk injections work in a similar way and use a systemic product as well. In this case, we actually drill a small hole into the root flares of the tree and insert a needle that is connected to a system containing our product. The tree will pull the product in as it does with water and other nutrients and when we are done the tree will compartmentalize the small wounds and quickly heal over.
Every property is a bit different when it comes to treatment methods for Winter Moth. If you would like more information or a free consultation for your property, please contact us or call today at (207) 442-7444.
