Skunk walking along a paved walkway near a shed foundation during fall in southern Maine

Squirrels and Skunks Moving In for Fall: What Southern Maine Homeowners Should Watch For

As temperatures drop across Cumberland and York Counties, squirrels and skunks start looking for a warmer place to spend the winter. Both are common calls for me this time of year, and both cause a very different kind of problem than the mice and insects that also try to get inside this season. Squirrels: Rooflines […]

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Before and after photo of a sealed gap between brick and wood trim, a common mouse entry point on Southern Maine homes

Why Sealing Your House Beats Bait Alone for Mice This Fall

As the temperature drops, mice start looking for a warm place to spend the winter, and a house is exactly what they’re looking for. Every fall I get calls for rodent control from homeowners who have already tried bait stations on their own, sometimes for weeks, and are still hearing scratching in the walls. The

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Empty apartment living room with hardwood floors and baseboards ready for bed bug inspection during turnover

How to Inspect for Bed Bugs During Turnovers and Annual Reviews

Bed bug inspections look different depending on what’s actually in the unit. A vacant turnover with no furniture left behind is a different job than an occupied unit with a bed, a couch, and a dresser still in place. Property managers who run the same checklist for both end up missing evidence in one scenario

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German cockroaches covering a kitchen cabinet door and interior in an apartment unit

A Property Manager’s Guide to German Cockroach Control

German cockroaches are one of the most common calls I get from property managers in Cumberland and York Counties, and they’re also one of the most misunderstood. Unlike a lot of pests, German cockroaches almost never come from outdoors. They travel in on grocery bags, secondhand furniture, delivery boxes, and moving trucks, then settle into

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Brown marmorated stink bug on a light-colored surface, showing shield-shaped body and mottled brown coloring

Why Stink Bugs, Boxelder Bugs, and Ladybugs Show Up in Maine Homes Every Fall

Every September and October, southern Maine homeowners start noticing the same thing: dark, oval bugs sunning themselves on the south and west sides of the house, clustering around window frames, or suddenly appearing inside on a warm afternoon. These are overwintering pests, and understanding why they show up (and what actually works against them) makes

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Raccoon peering out from under a deck or structure, a common nuisance wildlife conflict in Maine

Animal Control vs. Animal Damage Control: Who Do You Actually Call in Maine?

“Animal Control” and “Animal Damage Control” sound close enough to be the same thing, and I understand why people assume that. They’re not. In Maine, these are two entirely different systems, licensed by two different state departments, with two different scopes of authority, and calling the wrong one just means you’re waiting on hold with

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Caution signal word and Keep Out of Reach of Children warning from a pesticide product label

Is This Pesticide Safe for My Kids or Pets? How to Actually Think About That Question

It’s the question I get asked more than almost any other: is this safe for my kids, or my dog, or my cat? I understand why it comes up every time, and I want to answer it honestly rather than just say yes and move on, because “safe” isn’t really a word that means anything

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Material Safety Data Sheets binder in a Right to Know compliance station

How to Read a Safety Data Sheet (SDS): A Plain-English Guide

If you’ve ever asked a pest control technician “is this stuff safe for my kids or my dog,” you’ve probably been handed a document called a Safety Data Sheet, or SDS, and left wondering what you were actually looking at. SDS sheets are dense, technical, and written for regulatory compliance, not for the person asking

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Before and after cartoon illustration of a bedroom prepared for bed bug treatment, showing cleared closet floor, empty dresser and nightstand drawers, bare mattress, and wall art removed from walls.

How to Prepare for Bed Bug Treatment (and the Mistakes That Ruin It)

I have been doing pest control in southern Maine for 16 years, and I can tell you the biggest factor in whether a bed bug treatment works is not the product, the equipment, or even the size of the infestation. It is how well the home was prepared before I walked in the door. That

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Eastern chipmunk peeking out of its burrow entrance next to a concrete step in Maine

Chipmunk Control in Southern Maine: What Attracts Them, the Damage They Cause, and What to Do About Their Burrows

Chipmunks are one of those animals people tend to tolerate right up until they don’t. They’re small, they’re quick, and for most of the year they mind their own business. Then one day you notice the walkway settling, holes appearing along the foundation, or tulip bulbs vanishing from the garden bed, and suddenly that cute

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