BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 21, 2024
Poison ivy, which can cause a person to develop an itchy rash, is recognizable by its three leaves growing side by side. The middle leaf is on a longer stem than the leaves to either side. Also on the list of things I avoid in the Maine wilderness are porcupines. Porcupines are shy creatures, but it’s a real problem if your dog decides to wrestle with one. That’s one of the many reasons I keep any dog I’m caring for on leash. Number three on my steer-clear-of list, and by far the most dangerous, is the deer tick, a pest that carries a cocktail of diseases. Lastly, biting flies such as mosquitoes and black flies have spoiled my hikes multiple times — but only because I wasn’t prepared. Insect repellent is my number one defense against these pests.