BANGOR DAILY NEWS • April 27, 2025
Growing numbers of people are leaving their yards unmowed for “No Mow May,” the same month when Maine’s tick season goes into full swing. No Mow May is a voluntary pledge to provide habitat and pollen for early-season pollinators by mowing their lawns less or not at all for the month. The practice also provides habitat for ticks, which like to live in long grass. Deer ticks have been active and multiplying since early March, and American dog ticks are waking up now, according to Griffin Dill, tick lab coordinator at the UMaine Cooperative Extension. How many of them you’ll see this year will depend on the weather. Letting your yard grow can provide them more habitat and may lead to more risk.