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A home pest risk assessment is the systematic process of finding where pests are, how they’re getting in, what’s attracting them, and how likely they are to cause harm. Done properly, it’s more than a quick look for droppings or chew marks — it’s an evidence-based review of structural vulnerabilities, environmental conditions, sanitation practices, and…

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) represents a shift in philosophy and practice from the shotgun approach of traditional spraying to a strategic, evidence-based system that prioritizes prevention, monitoring, and targeted action. Where traditional spraying typically relies on regular, broad-spectrum pesticide applications as the first and often sole response to pest issues, IPM treats pesticides as one…

Seattle’s climate — mild, wet winters and cool, damp summers — creates an environment where many pests thrive year-round. Add older housing stock, abundant trees and shrubs, dense urban neighborhoods and frequent rain that can drive pests indoors, and it becomes clear why “spray-and-pray” pest control is a poor long‑term strategy. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)…

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you know rodents are more than a rural nuisance: damp, wooded landscapes, abundant cover and year-round plant growth mean mice, rats, voles and other critters find plenty of food and shelter, and they often move into basements, attics and walls when the weather turns. That regional background matters…

Seattle’s mix of mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers creates ideal conditions for rodents to thrive. As spring turns toward summer, breeding cycles accelerate, food becomes more abundant, and animals that spent colder months hiding in sheltered nooks begin exploring for nesting sites and easy food sources. For homeowners, that seasonal shift means a…

On many Pacific Northwest lawns and gardens, the same unsightly signs — chewed plants, ripped-up soil, or wavy tunnels — can be caused by two very different animals: moles and voles. Although homeowners often use the names interchangeably, moles and voles have distinct diets, behaviors, and types of damage. Knowing which animal is responsible is…

If you’ve noticed more tiny tunnels, shallow runways through the grass, or small chew marks on bulbs and bark in your Seattle yard come May, you’re not imagining things: voles really do become more visible this time of year. The Pacific Northwest’s mild, wet winters and early springs create ideal conditions for vole populations to…

Seattle homeowners and property managers commonly encounter two different rat species: the roof rat (Rattus rattus) and the Norway or brown rat (Rattus norvegicus). At a glance they may look similar, but their bodies, habits and preferred habitats are distinct—and those differences matter for identification, risk assessment and control. In the Pacific Northwest’s maritime climate,…

Every spring in Seattle, as the days get longer and the city’s trees leaf out, many residents wake up to the same unwelcome surprise: toppled trash cans, strewn food scraps, and the unmistakable signs of raccoon activity. Raccoons are extremely adaptable urban wildlife, and the Pacific Northwest’s mosaic of parks, waterways and residential neighborhoods gives…

If you’ve been waking up to the sound of scrabbling above your ceiling or finding new chew marks along your eaves this May, you’re not alone — many Seattle homeowners notice a surge in squirrel activity around this time of year. Squirrels are a familiar part of the city’s urban forest, moving easily between trees…