In Maine, Could ‘No Mow May’ Actually Pave the Way for More Ticks?

It's likely that you've at least heard of 'No Mow May' at this point.

The basic idea, is that you don't mow your lawn all month to give a solid head start for the pollinators in your yard. Just let the flowers fly... Honestly, I do love the idea of giving pollinators a greater chance of feeding / surviving. But it also deeply appeals to my sense of laziness. I love that not doing something, is somehow actually doing something.

Read More: Will There Soon be a Pill Maine People can Take to Kill Ticks? 

Now I'm a reasonable, if not lazy, kind of guy. Naturally, I see it as a chance to look my wife straight in the eye, and say that I was doing more good in the world by not mowing the lawn. But I also remembered an article in the BDN that made me almost want to think twice about it. Almost...

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'No Mow May' and ticks, actually work far too well together.

Here's the thing, everything about No Mow May that is awesome for the bees, butterflies and other pollinators, also happens to be great for ticks. The long grass, the dead leaves, the tall plants... All are total tick habitats. So, the pollinators are not the only thing in your yard having a baby boom because of ideal conditions.

At the same time, trying to control the ticks in your yard is the opposite of No Mow May. Short, well-kept grass is best to avoid ticks. And a lot of folks spray their yard for ticks. That also will do zero favors for pollinators. It seems to be a classic damned if you do, damned if don't, scenario. So how do you balance the two?

There's one possible solution I got from a farmer friend of mine.

He leaves patches of un-mowed lawn for the pollinators in parts of the yard he doesn't use as much. Maybe that back corner where the dogs never go and the kids don't play. Maybe let that grow, and mow down the parts of the yard people use most. Then you can create a balance.

Read More: These Are My 4 Favorite Ways To Literally Murder Ticks

Look, we live in a state where the tick population goes bananas in the spring and fall. But there's also the mid-summer lull for ticks. It gets too hot for them to function, and they tend to disappear for several weeks until fall. But finding a balance that satisfies you and keeps you feeling safe, will be the key. Because ticks are just the pits.

Don't count out any of these critters either...