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Kent and Auburn sit at the heart of a busy industrial corridor where warehouses, manufacturing plants, distribution centers, rail yards and mixed-use business parks cluster along major highways and the Green River valley. Those same features that make the area an economic hub—constant vehicle and freight traffic, large amounts of stored goods, frequent loading and…

Living on the edge of city and forest is one of Federal Way’s greatest appeals: tall evergreens, pocketed wetlands and greenbelts right next to suburban streets and backyard lawns. That same interface, however, creates a unique set of pest pressures for homeowners. Urban conveniences—densely planted yards, compost bins, bird feeders, storm drains and closely spaced…

Tacoma and the wider Pierce County area present a pest-management landscape that looks and behaves quite differently from much of the rest of the country. The region’s maritime climate—mild temperatures with long, wet seasons and relatively dry summers—creates persistent moisture issues that favor wood-destroying insects and moisture-loving pests. At the same time, the mix of…

As suburban communities immediately north of Seattle, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace exemplify a new phase in Puget Sound’s growth: dense, transit-oriented pockets of development nested amid older residential neighborhoods and remnant green corridors. That evolving urban fabric has altered the ways people and wildlife interact, and nowhere is that shift more apparent than in the…

Edmonds’ waterfront properties offer an unbeatable combination of sweeping Puget Sound views, easy access to tide pools and marinas, and that calming seaside lifestyle many homeowners crave. But the same natural features that make these homes so desirable also create a distinctive set of pest pressures. Salt air, fluctuating tides, abundant marine and shoreline habitat,…

Mercer Island’s leafy neighborhoods and waterfront properties offer a rare combination of urban convenience and forested tranquility, but that wooded setting also creates a distinct set of pest-control challenges. Surrounded by Lake Washington and threaded with lush native and ornamental plantings, island homes are attractive to a wide array of insects, rodents and larger wildlife…

Burien sits in the mild, rainy coastal climate of the Puget Sound near Sea-Tac, and that setting shapes the kinds of pests homeowners are most likely to encounter. Warm, damp winters and temperate summers create ideal conditions for insects to breed year-round, while dense urban and suburban development — yards, gardens, older homes, and nearby…

Living along the shoreline in a densely built suburb offers many charms—water views, mature trees, and a sense of community—but it also creates a distinct set of pest-management challenges. Salt air, higher humidity, frequent storms and runoff, and rich coastal vegetation combine with closely spaced houses, shared green spaces, and lots of human activity to…

Renton’s industrial and commercial landscape has been evolving rapidly, and with that physical and economic change comes a shifting pest landscape that property owners, managers and public-health officials can no longer afford to overlook. Warehouses, food processors, retail centers, hotels and transportation hubs create unique combinations of food, moisture, shelter and continuous human activity that…

For many residents of Bothell and Kenmore, the Sammamish River Trail is a beloved greenway — a scenic corridor for walking, biking and wildlife viewing that threads along the river between neighborhoods. Lately, however, homeowners near the trail have noticed more signs of rodent activity: burrows in yards and riverbanks, chewed garden hoses and wiring,…