CountyYork County
RegionSouthern Maine
EAB quarantineEntire county
Hemlock woolly adelgidEstablished
Tree Medics protects trees for homeowners, businesses and municipalities in Saco 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 Saco
Emerald ash borerIn 2021, Maine’s forestry department reported finding emerald ash borer in Saco for the first time.[1]
Hemlock woolly adelgidAs of December 2024, the Maine Forest Service lists it as established in Saco.[2]
Browntail mothFound in all 16 Maine counties, and its toxic hairs stay in the environment for up to three years.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5]
About Saco’s trees
Local landscapeSaco is a York County city with a 2020 Census population of 20,381 and a land area of about 38.6 square miles.[6]
Community treesSaco is listed by the Maine Forest Service as a Tree City USA community with 13 years of recognition.[7]
Hemlock woolly adelgidBy July 2009 the Maine Forest Service had found hemlock woolly adelgid in Saco, one of seven southern Maine towns with known infestations at the time.[8]
Local landscapeThe Nature Conservancy’s 1,218-acre Saco Heath Preserve holds one of the largest Atlantic white cedar stands in Maine and is the only place where the species grows on a northern raised bog.[9]
Local landscapeThe Maine Natural Areas Program describes Saco Heath as the southernmost coalesced domed bog in Maine and one of only four state sites supporting the endangered Hessel’s hairstreak butterfly, whose larvae feed only on Atlantic white cedar.[10]
Local landscapeFerry Beach State Park in Saco contains a large stand of black tupelo, which is extremely rare in Maine and at the northern edge of its range, surrounded by uplands of pine, oak and hemlock mixed with beech, birch and maple.[11]
Tree care services in Saco
Emerald Ash Borer
Trunk injections that protect ash trees from emerald ash borer.
Emerald Ash Borer in Saco
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.[12] Browntail moth help in Saco.
A year of tree care in Saco
- 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
- Bangor Daily News: Invasive tree-killing beetle found in 3 Maine counties (2021)
- 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, Saco city, Maine (2020 Census)
- Maine Forest Service: Project Canopy – Tree City USA
- Bangor Daily News: Maine hemlocks to be surveyed for adelgids (2009)
- The Nature Conservancy: Saco Heath Preserve
- Maine Natural Areas Program: Saco Heath Focus Area of Statewide Ecological Significance
- Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands: Ferry Beach State Park Guide
- Maine Forest Service: Browntail moth management overview