Advertiser Democrat quotes Dill in third installment of tick series

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.

August 22, 2019 Cooperative Extension, Outreach, UMaine in the News

The Advertiser Democrat quoted Griffin Dill, an integrated pest management professional and director of the Tick Lab with University of Maine Cooperative Extension, in the second part of its three-part series about tick identification, disease and encounter prevention. The article is titled “Ticked off: Managing habitat, reducing encounters.” A proactive approach to reducing the number of ticks in residential locations, Integrated Tick Management, involves self-protection and eradicating tick habitat, the article states. Recommendations include removing leaf litter and brush; moving children’s play areas away from yard edges and trees; mowing and raking frequently; completely eradicating invasive vegetation like Japanese barberry, honeysuckle and bittersweet; and deterring rodent and deer habitat. Tick management using predators as a biological control is a relatively new concept and is primarily in the research phase, according to Dill. “Guinea fowl and chickens are commonly thought to be effective in controlling ticks, though research indicates that their tick consumption is minimal,” he said. “The best defense is dressing appropriately in the field. Light-colored fabric, pants and long sleeve shirts are a good idea. Not because ticks don’t like light colors, but they show up better on light-colored clothing.”