Griffin Dill offers tips to BDN on how to keep rodents out of the home

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

December 6, 2017 Cooperative Extension, UMaine in the News

Griffin Dill, an integrated pest management specialist with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, spoke with the Bangor Daily News for an article on how to keep rodents from coming into your home this winter. “Some are looking for a warm, protected area to over winter and others are looking for a food source,” he said. “Those are the two main drivers that will attract [rodents] into a home.” Dill said a way to keep mice and rats at bay is to pay close attention to sanitation. “Clean up garbage and food materials so they are not available for rodents,” he said. “You should also go around your house and look for any and all small cracks and crevices that they can use to get in.” Dill said mice and rats only need about a quarter- to a half-inch opening to be able to get into a home. If rodents do get inside, Dill said it is best to take a strategic approach. “You might hear them in the walls or see their droppings or find food missing,” he said. “Look for areas where they are most active if you are going to set traps because mice and rats are pretty smart and they won’t simply run over to the bait on a trap.”