CountyYork County
RegionSouthern Maine
EAB quarantineEntire county
Hemlock woolly adelgidEstablished
Tree Medics protects trees for homeowners, businesses and municipalities in Kittery and across York County. We diagnose tree problems and treat the insects and diseases threatening Southern Maine’s trees, from emerald ash borer to browntail moth.
What’s threatening trees in Kittery
Emerald ash borerEmerald ash borer has been confirmed in Kittery.[1]
Hemlock woolly adelgidKittery was one of only six Maine towns under hemlock woolly adelgid quarantine before the state expanded it.[2]
Hemlock woolly adelgidAs of December 2024, the Maine Forest Service lists it as established in Kittery.[3]
Browntail mothFound in all 16 Maine counties, and its toxic hairs stay in the environment for up to three years.[4] Maine CDC says browntail moth populations have been steadily decreasing over the past couple of years, with higher populations in 2026 in parts of Androscoggin, Cumberland, Hancock and Oxford counties.[5] Even in a quieter year, a single infested oak or apple tree can make a yard miserable in spring.
Beech leaf diseaseNow found in all 16 Maine counties.[6]
About Kittery’s trees
Local landscapeKittery is a York County town with a 2020 Census population of 10,070 and a land area of about 17.8 square miles.[7]
Local landscapeThe 72-acre Kittery Town Forest runs from Haley Road nearly to Lewis Road.[8]
Local landscapeKittery’s Rogers Park Conservation Area covers 27 acres along Spruce Creek, and the 208-acre Norton Preserve sits on the Kittery–York town line.[9]
Hemlock woolly adelgidBy July 2009 the Maine Forest Service had found hemlock woolly adelgid in Kittery, one of seven southern Maine towns with known infestations at the time.[10]
Browntail mothBy 1999 Maine’s browntail moth outbreak had spread along the coast from Kittery to Gouldsboro and inland to Augusta, and in February 2018 winter webs were detected along the coast from Kittery to Trenton.[11]
Local landscapeForests and wetlands in the Mt. Agamenticus focus area help protect Kittery’s drinking water supply.[12]
Tree care services in Kittery
Emerald Ash Borer
Trunk injections that protect ash trees from emerald ash borer.
Emerald Ash Borer in Kittery
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Systemic treatment to keep hemlocks healthy.
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid in Kittery
Tree Health Assessments
Find out what’s wrong with a tree and what to do about it.
About tree health assessmentsBrowntail moth season starts in your trees right now.
From October to March, young browntail moth caterpillars overwinter in silk webs at the tips of branches. The Maine Forest Service recommends clipping and destroying webs within reach between mid-December and early April.[13] Browntail moth help in Kittery.
A year of tree care in Kittery
- WinterClip browntail moth webs, assess trees while branches are bare, and plan spring treatments.
- SpringTrunk injections for ash trees after leaf-out, and browntail moth treatment before caterpillars feed.
- SummerWatch for thinning crowns on ash and early leaf drop. Check beech leaves for dark bands between the veins.
- FallLook for white woolly masses on hemlock twigs, and spot new browntail webs once leaves drop.
Nearby towns we serve
Sources
- Maine Public: Emerald ash borer infestation spreads to 7 Maine communities
- Portland Press Herald: State proposes expanding hemlock woolly adelgid quarantine
- Maine Forest Service: Hemlock woolly adelgid overview and distribution
- Maine CDC & Maine Forest Service: Browntail moth hairs pose risk during spring outdoor activities
- Maine CDC Health Advisory: Browntail moth (May 2026)
- Maine Forest Service: Forest & shade tree conditions, September 2026
- U.S. Census Bureau: QuickFacts, Kittery town, York County, Maine (2020 Census)
- Town of Kittery: Parks and Trails on the Seacoast
- Town of Kittery: Parks and Trails on the Seacoast
- Bangor Daily News: Maine hemlocks to be surveyed for adelgids (2009)
- Maine Forest Service: Browntail Moth in Maine – History and Current Situation (2018)
- Maine Natural Areas Program: Mt. Agamenticus Focus Area of Statewide Ecological Significance
- Maine Forest Service: Browntail moth management overview