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Walk down the narrow, shaded alleyways of Rainier Beach on a warm evening and you may notice something unsettling: the telltale scatter of roaches slipping between trash bins, under wooden pallets, and into the crevices of building foundations. For many residents and business owners this time of year brings an uptick in sightings — not…

Phinney Ridge is a leafy, tight-knit neighborhood where homes and decks are integral parts of daily life, but its Pacific Northwest winters bring a familiar challenge: rodents seeking shelter and sustenance. Damp, cool conditions combined with the neighborhood’s proximity to parks, greenbelts and mature landscaping make under-deck and on-deck storage especially attractive to mice and…

When the holidays arrive in Wallingford, kitchens fill with the warm aroma of baking: sugar cookies iced in festive colors, buttery shortbread, and family recipes handed down through generations. For many households, those cookies are more than treats — they’re gifts, party staples, and a few weeks’ worth of comfort. But along with tins of…

Laurelhurst’s mix of mature trees, waterfront properties and older homes creates a unique urban-forest edge that roof rats (Rattus rattus) exploit year-round. While these rodents are typically associated with warm, arboreal habitats—moving along branches, gutters and utility lines—short, sharp cold snaps in December can trigger notable shifts in their behavior. For residents and property managers,…

University District labs and studios are hubs of concentrated human activity, diverse microenvironments, and a steady supply of thermal, light, and moisture gradients created by equipment, HVAC systems, and varying occupancy. These features make them fertile ground for arthropod colonization, and spiders in particular are frequent and visible inhabitants of hallways, storage rooms, equipment areas,…

The holidays in Ravenna bring a bright burst of activity: twinkling lights, long-awaited gatherings, and kitchens that hum with the promise of shared meals. But with extra food on hand and busy schedules, pantries can become an inviting buffet for unwelcome guests—everything from pantry moths and grain beetles to ants and the occasional mouse. A…

Queen Anne’s charming older homes and the cozy basement suites carved into their foundations make the neighborhood an attractive place to live — but they also create ideal conditions for a seasonal pest problem: winter roach activity. As temperatures drop, cockroaches that normally live outdoors or in utility gaps move indoors in search of warmth,…

December in Mount Baker brings crisp air, shorter days, and the comforting pull indoors — but it also ushers in a predictable uptick in pest activity as rodents and overwintering insects search out warm, dry shelter. Though Pacific Northwest winters are milder than in many parts of the country, frequent rain, tree cover and older…

When Broadview woke to a week of relentless downpours this spring, many residents noticed more than puddles and swollen gutters: sidewalks, porches and basements were suddenly alive with tiny, fast-moving workers. These were not the familiar pavement ants of summer barbecues but a different phenomenon — sudden surges of so-called “moisture ants,” colonies driven to…

Travel seasons in Northgate bring festive crowds, crowded hotels, and a surge in short-term rentals — and with that increased movement of people and luggage comes an often-overlooked travel hazard: bed bugs. Whether you’re passing through Northgate on a holiday stopover, staying in a nearby hotel to visit family, or renting a vacation apartment for…