Free for homeowners
Pest control in Maine
What are the most common pests in this state, and who handles them?
Pest control in Maine is led by ticks and mice. Blacklegged tick range is expanding, with nymphs active in spring and adults in fall, and carpenter ants follow roof and sill moisture in older homes. PestChief introduces Maine homeowners to one independent local pest control company that covers their ZIP code.
Where can you read about each pest?
Pest pressure here is shaped by climate, geography and housing stock, so it varies across the state. The notable issues for this state are set out on this page. For how each pest is identified, what the signs look like and what treatment usually involves, read the pest guides.
What is the climate like here?
Climate is the biggest single driver of which pests live here and how long their season runs.
Which pest issues stand out here?
- Expanding blacklegged tick range and rising Lyme disease incidence
- Carpenter ants in older homes with roof and sill moisture damage
- Eastern subterranean termites limited to southern coastal areas
- Heavy fall mouse entry into older housing stock
Which pests are active in each season?
Activity shifts through the year, so the pest worth treating in March is rarely the one worth treating in August.
Which pests are active in spring?
Which pests are active in summer?
Which pests are active in fall?
Which pests are active in winter?
How does pest pressure vary by region?
Pest pressure is not uniform across a state. Elevation, humidity, soil and the age of the housing stock all change which pests appear and when.
Which regions of the state face which pests?
When do termites swarm in each region?
Is your ZIP code in Maine covered?
PestChief is free to the homeowner. Coverage is checked ZIP code by ZIP code, not state by state. Give your ZIP code and the pest you are seeing, and if an independent local pest control company covers that ZIP code and handles that pest, your request goes to that one company, and it contacts you directly.
What licensing should you ask a company for?
Licensing is the one check a homeowner can make before any work starts. Every state requires a pest control company to hold a license, and most require a separate certification for specialty work such as termite treatment. Ask for the license number, confirm it covers the pest you have, and check it with the state agency that issues it.
What does this state require of a licensed company?
What else should you know about this state?
A few state specific details that change how pest control works here, and what they mean for a homeowner.
Which metro areas are covered?
Coverage varies inside a state, not only between states. A company that covers one metro area may not cover a rural ZIP code two counties away, and the pests it is licensed to treat can differ as well. The metro areas listed here are where PestChief most often has a company to introduce you to. If your city is not listed, a ZIP code check is still worth doing.
What do homeowners ask most?
What pests are most common in Maine?
In Maine, the steady work is ants, rodents, fleas and ticks, wasps and hornets, and spiders. What sits behind that list:
- Expanding blacklegged tick range and rising Lyme disease incidence
- Carpenter ants in older homes with roof and sill moisture damage
- Eastern subterranean termites limited to southern coastal areas
- Heavy fall mouse entry into older housing stock
When is pest season in Maine?
Pest season in Maine is short outdoors, with ticks active from spring to fall and mice taking over once temperatures drop.
Spring: Nymphal ticks become active as snow recedes; carpenter ants appear indoors. Summer: Peak tick and mosquito pressure in the forested interior; wasp colonies grow. Fall: Strong rodent entry as temperatures fall; adult ticks active. Winter: Indoor mouse activity dominates.
Who licenses pest control companies in Maine?
The Maine Board of Pesticides Control licenses pesticide applicators and regulates commercial structural applications. Ask for the applicator's Maine license and confirm it applies to structural work in homes.
How much does pest control cost in Maine?
National estimates put a single pest control visit at about $171 (This Old House national average), a one time treatment program at $300 to $550 (HomeAdvisor), and a recurring plan at $300 to $900 (HomeGuide) per year. Maine's pressure is seasonal, ticks and ants in the warm months and mice in the cold, and these published national figures are orientation only, not PestChief quotes. Your price comes from the company that inspects your home.
When are ticks active in Maine?
Blacklegged ticks in Maine are active in two waves, nymphs from spring and adults again in fall, with peak pressure in summer. The tick's range in Maine is expanding and Lyme disease incidence is rising, which is why wooded yards and edge habitat get the most attention. Outdoor tick work tapers in winter, when indoor mouse activity takes over.
Does PestChief cover Maine?
Maine coverage runs through the Portland and Bangor areas. Confirm your own address with a ZIP code check in the locations finder, because coverage is set ZIP code by ZIP code and company by company rather than statewide. One independent local pest control company that covers the ZIP code and handles the pest receives the request and contacts you directly.
Where does this information come from?
Seasonality and pest biology
- US EPA, Integrated Pest Management principles
- UC Statewide IPM Program, Home and Landscape pests
- CDC, Rodents
- US EPA, Rodenticides
- CDC, Ticks
- CDC, Fleas
- Penn State Extension
Pricing
National estimates from published industry sources. Not PestChief quotes.
Licensing
Licensing is administered by Maine Board of Pesticides Control.
Ready to get this handled?
It costs the homeowner nothing. Coverage is checked ZIP code by ZIP code. Give your ZIP code and the pest you are seeing, and if an independent local pest control company covers that ZIP code and handles that pest, your request goes to that one company. It contacts you directly, and it sets its own price.
What should you check before you hire?
Every state we cover
Browse the full list of states and metro areas, and check whether your area is covered.
Pests, one by one
Identification, signs of an infestation and what to do first, for each pest we cover.
What pest control costs
National ranges by treatment type, with the basis for each figure stated plainly.
Season by season
Which pests get active when, and the months worth acting in before a problem grows.
Learn the basics
Plain explanations of treatments, prevention and the questions worth asking a company.
How PestChief works
We match a homeowner with one independent local pest control company. Here is what happens.