May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Maine; remember to do your tick checks!

Deer tick

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in Maine. May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Maine, so remember to do your tick checks! With the mild winter, it is never too early to start thinking about tick prevention.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is carried by Ixodes scapularis (the deer tick). Maine had a record high number of cases in 2011, with positives occurring in all 16 counties. Lyme disease is most common among school aged children and middle aged adults. As the weather begins to get warmer, more ticks will be out in the open. Most Lyme disease infections in Maine occur during the summer months.

The most common early symptom of Lyme disease is an expanding red rash that occurs 3 – 30 days after being bitten. Fever, joint, and muscle pains may also occur. Lyme disease is treatable, and the majority of patients recover after receiving appropriate therapy.

Lyme disease is a preventable illness. Maine CDC recommends following the “No Ticks 4 ME” approach which includes:

1. Wear protective clothing
2. Use an EPA approved repellent
3. Perform daily tick checks
4. Use caution in tick habitats

Ticks must be attached for at least 24 hours for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease to be transmitted, so prompt removal of ticks is extremely important. Anyone with a known tick bite, or who spends time in a tick habitat, should watch for symptoms for at least 30 days after exposure. If symptoms develop, call your healthcare provider.

Additional information:

• Maine CDC has numerous educational materials available on their website at www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/vector-borne/lyme/index.shtml.
• UMaine Extension Bulletin #5047, Ticks.

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Boston’s WBZ Interviews Dill on New Fruit Fly Threat

University of Maine Cooperative Extension pest management specialist Jim Dill was interviewed by Boston’s Channel 4 (WBZ) television station for a news report on the threat to blueberries and other soft-skinned fruit by a pest new to Maine and New England, the Drosophila Suzukii fly, which is far more damaging to crops than traditionally common fruit flies. Dill also appeared in a Channel 7  report on the fruit fly.

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Dill Discusses Season’s Honeybee Outlook

Jim Dill, University of Maine Cooperative Extension pest management specialist, discussed expectations for honeybees this year, in view of the light winter, with Channel 7 (WVII). Dill says elevated mite populations could cause a decline in this year’s bee populations, but hives are healthy at this point.

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Dill Comments on Pests

James Dill, an entomologist with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, was interviewed for a Portland Press Herald story about how the warm winter will impact pest populations. Dill said there are some pests, such as mosquitoes, ticks and white grubs, about which he fields more phone calls this time of year, which could pose some problems for homeowners this spring. Dill also gave recommendations on how to deal with the pests.

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Dill in TV News Report on Tick Proliferation

Channel 7 (WVII) interviewed University of Maine Cooperative Extension pest management specialist and professor of biological sciences Jim Dill about the spring proliferation of ticks, along with ways to protect animals and people from the blood-sucking insects, for a broadcast on today’s 7 a.m. news report.

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Dill Comments on Ticks in Maine

Jim Dill, an entomologist with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, was interviewed by the Bangor Daily News about the effect of warm late-winter temperatures on Maine’s grub and tick population. Dill said grubs are more active than usual, which has skunks active earlier than usual. He also predicted a “pretty good” tick year but said the mosquito population could be down.

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Apple Growing Workshop for Beginners on April 28, 2012

Apple Growing Workshop for Beginners

Saturday, April 28, 2012
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Circle B Farms, 287 East Presque Isle Road, Caribou, Maine
Hosted by Sam Blackstone
Registration Fee: $20.00 per person

This one-day workshop is for people who are new to growing apples and who are interested in growing apples for sale. The workshop will focus on getting started in commercial apple production, presented by Renae Moran and Glen Koehler, University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Participants may receive 1 Pesticide Applicator recertification credit for attending the workshop. Please let us know in advance if you plan to attend, so that we will have an accurate count for lunch. Contact Pam St. Peter at (207) 933-2100 or pamela.stpeter@maine.edu.

AGENDA

Directions

The address for Circle B Farms is 287 East Presque Isle Road, Caribou. The farm is located on Route 205, 1.5 miles south of Route 161 on the east side of the Aroostook River. Look for the sign. A map is available at: http://www.circlebfarmsinc.com/directions.html.

For more information, contact Renae Moran at (207) 933-2100 or email rmoran@maine.edu.

If you are a person with a disability and will need any accommodations to participate in this program, please call Pam St. Peter at (207) 933-2100 to discuss your needs, TDD 1-800-287-8957 (in Maine). Please contact us at least one week prior to this event to assure fullest possible attention to your needs.

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Apple Tree Pruning and Grafting Class on April 14, 2012

Photo by Marjorie Peronto, UMaine Cooperative Extension

Apple Tree Pruning and Grafting Class

Saturday, April 14, 2012
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Highmoor Farm in Monmouth, Maine
Pre-registration is not required.

Learn to prune fruit trees with Renae Moran, University of Maine tree fruit specialist. A one-hour lecture will be followed by a demonstration in the orchard and a chance to prune apple, peach, pear and plum trees. There is no charge for the class, but please bring your own pruning tools and lunch. After lunch, there will be a grafting demonstration.

Please check this website prior to event date for cancellation due to stormy weather.

Directions

Traveling North on I-95: Take Exit 75 off the Maine Turnpike in Auburn (left turn off the exit ramp). Go through Lewiston and travel east about 16 miles on Route 202. Highmoor is on your right.

Traveling South on I-95: Take Exit 109b off I-95 in Augusta and travel west on Route 202 approximately 16 miles. Highmoor is on your left.

If you are a person with a disability and will need any accommodations to participate in this program, please call the Highmoor Farm at (207) 933-2100 to discuss your needs, TDD 1-800-287-8957 (in Maine). Please contact us at least one week prior to this event to assure fullest possible attention to your needs.

For more information, contact Renae Moran at (207) 933-2100, Ext. 105, or email rmoran@maine.edu.

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Starting Your Commercial Apple Business Workshop on April 7, 2012

Starting Your Commercial Apple Business Workshop

Saturday, April 7, 2012
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Highmoor Farm, 52 US Route 202, Monmouth, Maine
No cost for the workshop. Pre-registration is not required.

This one-day workshop is for people who are new to growing apples and who are interested in growing apples for sale. The workshop will focus on getting started in commercial apple production, presented by Renae Moran and Glen Koehler, University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Participants may receive 2 Pesticide Applicator recertification credits for attending the workshop.

AGENDA

Directions

Traveling North on I-95: Take Exit 75 off the Maine Turnpike in Auburn (left turn off the exit ramp). Go through Lewiston and travel east about 17.9 miles on Route 202. Highmoor will be on your right.

Traveling South on I-95: Take Exit 109B off I-95 in Augusta and travel west on Route 202 approximately 15.7 miles. Highmoor will be on your left.

For more information, contact Renae Moran at (207) 933-2100 or email rmoran@maine.edu.

If you are a person with a disability and will need any accommodations to participate in this program, please call Pam St. Peter at (207) 933-2100 to discuss your needs, TDD 1-800-287-8957 (in Maine). Please contact us at least one week prior to this event to assure fullest possible attention to your needs.

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Apple Pre-Season IPM Meeting on March 14, 2012

Wednesday, March 14, 2012
8:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Highmoor Farm, 52 U.S. Route 202, Monmouth, ME
Registration fee: $15.00 per person.

This meeting will provide pest and horticultural management updates for large and small scale orchardists. Participants may receive 3 Pesticide Applicator recertification credits for attending the program. The cost is $15.00 per person to cover lunch. Everyone is welcome to attend. Please let us know in advance if you plan to attend, so that we will have an accurate count for lunch. Contact Pam St. Peter at (207) 933-2100 or pamela.stpeter@maine.edu.

AGENDA

Sponsors:

• University of Maine Cooperative Extension
• USDA Risk Management Agency
• University of Maine Crop Insurance Education Program
• Crop Protections Services, Lewiston, Maine
• Northeast Agricultural Sales, Inc., Leeds, Maine

Any person with a disability who needs accommodations for this program should contact Pam St. Peter at (207) 933-2100 ext. 100 to discuss their needs at least seven days in advance, or at 1-800-287-8957 (voice and TDD).

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