Cooperative Extension: Insect Pests & Plant Diseases » News & Events

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

extension — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:11:04 +0000

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:

Wear protective clothing
Use an EPA approved repellent
Perform daily tick checks
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.

Boston’s WBZ Interviews Dill on New Fruit Fly Threat

extension — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:30:23 +0000

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.

Dill Discusses Season’s Honeybee Outlook

extension — Wed, 02 May 2012 23:19:25 +0000

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.

Dill Comments on Pests

extension — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:18:36 +0000

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.

Dill in TV News Report on Tick Proliferation

extension — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:12:17 +0000

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.

Dill Comments on Ticks in Maine

extension — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:15:54 +0000

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.

Apple Growing Workshop for Beginners on April 28, 2012

extension — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:46:49 +0000

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

9:00 AM	Welcome and Sign-in
10:00 AM	Varieties and Rootstocks Commonly grown apple varieties – their strengths and weaknesses Dwarfing and semi-dwarfing rootstocks – how and why they are used
10:30 AM	Pruning Techniques for Modern Training Systems
11:30 AM	Apple Diseases and Insects
12:00 PM	Lunch Break Lunch provided by Circle B Farms.
1:00 PM	Pollination and Fruit Thinning
1:30 PM	Fertility, Harvest and Storage
2:00 PM	Pruning Demo in the Orchard (weather permitting)

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.

Apple Tree Pruning and Grafting Class on April 14, 2012

extension — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:56:14 +0000

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.

Starting Your Commercial Apple Business Workshop on April 7, 2012

extension — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:29:54 +0000

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

10:00 AM	Varieties and Rootstocks Commonly grown apple varieties – their strengths and weaknesses Dwarfing and semi-dwarfing rootstocks – how and why they are used
10:30 AM	Pruning Techniques for Modern Training Systems
11:30 AM	Apple Diseases
12:00 PM	Lunch Break Bring your own lunch; beverages provided.
12:30 PM	Pollination and Fruit Thinning
1:00 PM	Apple Insect Pests
1:30 PM	Fertility, Harvest and Storage
2:00 PM	Break (snacks provided)
2:15 PM	Organic and Synthetic Pesticide Safety, Sprayer Calibration
2:30 PM	Making Your Management Calendar
3:00 PM	Pruning Demo in the Orchard (weather permitting)

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.

Apple Pre-Season IPM Meeting on March 14, 2012

extension — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:22:05 +0000

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

8:30 AM	COFFEE, MEET AND GREET
9:00 AM	Scab Management Issues for 2012 – Resistance, Sanitation, Timing and Coverage Glen Koehler, UMaine Cooperative Extension, Pest Management Office
9:30 AM	Dealing with Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in the Mid-Atlantic Starker Wright, USDA ARS Lab in Kearneysville, West Virginia
10:15 AM	Crop Insurance Update Tori Jackson, UMaine Cooperative Extension, Androscoggin and Sagadahoc Counties
10:30 AM	BREAK
10:45 AM	Horticultural Updates Renae Moran, UMaine Extension, Highmoor Farm Agricultural Experiment Station
11:15 AM	Grower Practices Survey Everybody!
12:00 PM	LUNCH
12:45 PM	New Methods for Managing Old Pests: Plum Curculio, Apple Maggot, and Dogwood Borer Starker Wright
1:30 PM	What USDA Pesticide Residue Testing Found on Apples and 2012 Extension Apple IPM Program Glen Koehler
2:00 PM	Board of Pesticides Control Update Gary Fish, Maine Department of Agriculture

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).