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When temperatures drop and the landscape hardens, many animals that trouble homes and gardens don’t head outdoors in search of a winter meal so much as a place to survive the cold. For a wide range of pests—from mice and rats to cockroaches, ants, spiders and many overwintering insects—the imperative in winter shifts from active…

January is a surprisingly strategic month for rodent proofing. As the coldest weeks of the year settle in across much of the Northern Hemisphere, mice, rats, and other commensal rodents are more strongly motivated to move into human structures in search of warmth, food and shelter. At the same time, the period immediately after the…

By the time crocuses push through the thawing ground and temperatures begin to climb, many of the pests that make summer and fall expensive and unpleasant are already on the move. Homeowners and property managers often wait until they see obvious signs—chewed wiring, droppings, mud tubes, or a swarm in the backyard—before calling for help….

As temperatures drop and landscapes go dormant, the rhythm of pest activity changes — but it doesn’t disappear. Winter alters pest life cycles, behavior, and the effectiveness of many control measures, which in turn changes how and when pest management should be scheduled. For homeowners and pest-control professionals alike, understanding these seasonal shifts is essential:…

Seattle’s famously mild, wet winters make the city hospitable not just to people but to pests — and the problem is amplified by urban density. Unlike cities with prolonged freezing temperatures that suppress insect and rodent activity, Seattle’s climate provides relatively warm, damp conditions that allow many species to remain active through winter. When you…

January rainfall — its timing, amount and intensity — plays an outsized role in shaping pest populations at the start of the growing season. For many insects, rodents and plant pathogens, January is a key survival and developmental window: some species are dormant or overwintering as eggs, pupae or adults, while others begin feeding and…

As temperatures drop and the landscape hardens with frost and snow, rats that normally forage and nest outdoors begin a seasonal migration toward warmer, more stable environments. Insulated structures — attics, crawl spaces, wall voids and basements — are especially attractive because they concentrate heat, block wind and create protected microclimates that let animals conserve…

Cold weather does more than make us pull out thicker coats — it profoundly reshapes the daily lives of pests, altering when, what and how much they eat. As temperatures drop, the physiology and behavior of insects, rodents, mites and other common pests shift in predictable ways: metabolic rates slow, activity windows narrow, and the…

January in Seattle brings steady rain, cool temperatures, and the kind of damp, sheltered corners that make houses suddenly attractive to small mammals looking for warmth and reliable food. While Seattle’s winters are milder than many parts of the country, the combination of heated homes, abundant food sources in urban neighborhoods, and dense vegetation around…

When the temperature drops and gardens go dormant, it’s tempting to think pest season is over. In reality, winter is a critical time for pests and for the people trying to keep them out. Many species don’t die off with the first frost — they seek shelter, food, and warmth in and around homes, garages,…