Maine's Agricultural Fair Season is officially underway, beginning last week with the Monmouth Fair and extending into October when Maine holds its largest fair, the Fryeburg Fair. Maine has twenty-five licensed fairs that take place over the summer and fall, offering visitors opportunities to learn more about agriculture and the communities they take place in.

Sometimes you will stumble upon unexpected learning opportunities at these fairs, like invasive forest pests!  Education can be found anyhwhere!

The full fair schedule is available at: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/ard/fair_promotion/index.shtml

Additional information on Maine’s agricultural fairs can be found at: http://www.mainefairs.org/

There are many communities in Maine suffering the wrath of browntail moth defoliation and rash.  It is tempting to want to do something to "get rid of them".  Please remember, spraying pesticides will have no effect right now.  The caterpillars have stopped feeding and are spinning their pupal cocoons.  You may also be thinking "thank goodness - it's almost over!". Unfortunately, it isn't.  You still need to remain cautious as cocoons contain the toxic hairs, and the hairs already in the environment can become airborn on dry, windy days. (More about cocoons)

Here's an update from the Maine Forest Service...   

Since emerald ash borer was found in the state last year, it is important to determine if EAB is spreading and if there are new infestations.  To help with this effort, the Maine Forest Service and cooperators have hung purple traps and girdled ash trees around the state.  The results of some of these surveys will begin to come in during July.  In the meantime, they are responding to citizen reports about possible EAB sightings.  As of late June, EAB is emerging in southern Maine, although it will be well into July before they start to emerge in northern Aroostook.   If you suspect an ash tree is infested with EAB, please take pictures of the suspect damage and make a report.

For more information on the latest with emerald ash borer, as well as other forest pest issues, check out the new Conditions Report from the Maine Forest Service.

The State of Maine would like to remind its citizens and visitors that firewood originating from another state is banned from entering Maine, unless it is accompanied by a treatment certificate of label from a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) qualified treatment facility.  See full details of the ban.  This ban is essential for protecting Maine's forest resources and the trees in our communities from harmful invasive insects that live in firewood.  In addition, state quarantines, such as the Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine restricts the movement of firewood within the state.

If anyone suspects firewood is being transported into Maine from another state, or leaving a quarantined area, please call one of the following numbers to report the vehicle:

Southern Region: Bolton Hill, Augusta: (207) 624-3700
Central Region: Old Town: (207) 827-1800
Northern Region: Ashland: (207) 435-7963

For those interested in learning about the history of invasive pests in Maine, how to identify them, and how to go about reporting an infestation, here's a workshop for you.

The Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) along with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Lisbon Falls, will be presenting a workshop as part of the Invasive Forest Pest Outreach Program. This workshop is designed to help residents identify current and potential forest invasive pests and host species, to understand the threats these pests pose, and to learn how to report suspected pest sightings and damage. All participants will receive an information packet with fact sheets, species lists, and other relevant information regarding these three workshop goals.

The workshop will be held on Monday, July 29^th 2019 from 9:00am- 12:00pm at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Lisbon, Falls, ME.  Please contact the District at 207-241-5377 or at info@androscogginswcd.org with any questions or to reserve a spot. Attendance is free. CEU credits available.

CALLING ALL OBSERVANT BUG AND CRITTER WATCHERS!

Maine Bug Watch is seeking assistance from the public to keep an eye out and report some potential new pests that may threaten Maine's plant resources.

Exotic Longhorned Beetles:  Starting in mid-July, keep your eyes peeled for large, shiny black, long-antennaed beetles.  Not known to occur in Maine, we would like folks to report any that are seen, as they could destroy our healthy hardwood forests if they become established.  Please capture one, or take a picture, and make a report.  We need a photo or a specimen as we have innocent native beetles that can look similar.

Spotted Lanternfly:  A new important ornamental and orchard pest has established in parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Virginia.  Though these states are trying hard to contain it, this insect can inadvertently move when folks leave an infested area, especially without checking vehicles, trailers, belongings, etc.  The egg masses are laid on any surface and can move to new areas if they are not scraped off.  

Arion Slug: A large black European slug, Arion ater, was confirmed from Vinalhaven last year, and we are interested in knowing how long it may have been there, and if it is established anywhere else in Maine.  If you come across this type of slug, take a picture of it and let us know where you saw it.  Specimens actually have to be dissected and analyzed in order to determine the actual species, so if you can collect one and let us know, even better.