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Each winter, downtown Seattle’s alleys, loading docks, and dumpster corrals develop a familiar and unwelcome rhythm: increased rat activity concentrated around garbage areas. The combination of Seattle’s dense commercial core, a year-round flow of food waste from restaurants and markets, and the seasonal squeeze on natural food sources pushes these rodents into close proximity with…

Seattle’s long-running construction boom — from infill and duplex conversions to large mixed-use developments and frequent utility work — has reshaped many neighborhoods. While new buildings and infrastructure bring benefits, the disturbance they create can unintentionally increase pest activity. Seattle’s temperate, wet climate, dense urban fabric, aging sewer and stormwater systems, and pockets of mature…

When temperatures dip and rain becomes a constant companion, Seattle homeowners often breathe a sigh of relief—until the quiet is broken by gnaw marks, the rustle of insulation, or a sudden surge in pantry pests. Winter is prime time for rodents to move from the soggy yards and storm drains into warmer, drier parts of…

Seattle’s mild, wet winters and abundant trees make the region beautiful — and attractive to pests. In the Pacific Northwest, pests such as ants (including carpenter ants), rodents, spiders, cockroaches, dampwood and subterranean termites, wasps, and mosquitoes take advantage of warm pockets, moisture, and the many older homes with crawlspaces, attics and wood siding. During…

Seattle’s winters are famous for being wet and gray rather than bone-chilling. That mildness, combined with steady rainfall and urban warming, can be comforting for people — but it’s a boon for many pests. Without prolonged deep freezes to knock back populations, insects and rodents find it much easier to survive the season and re-emerge…

For homeowners and property managers in Seattle, January is more than the start of a new year — it’s the ideal window to schedule a thorough rodent inspection. After weeks of rainy, cool weather and the bustle of the holidays, rodents that normally forage outdoors begin seeking warm, dry shelter and food indoors. Seattle’s temperate…

When cold weather arrives, the world outside becomes a hostile place for many small animals and insects. Temperatures drop, food becomes scarce, and exposed ground freezes—so animals instinctively look for sheltered, stable microclimates where they can conserve energy, find nesting sites and survive the winter. Insulated attics are one of the most attractive refuges a…

Craftsman homes are a defining feature of Seattle’s neighborhoods — warm wood tones, deep eaves, built-in cabinetry, and handcrafted trim give them a distinct character that homeowners cherish. Those same architectural details, however, can create inviting hiding places for pests during Seattle’s mild, wet winters. As temperatures drop and rainfall increases, rodents, ants, spiders, silverfish…

In Wallingford, as in many older towns with a mix of historic homes and aging municipal infrastructure, rats are drawn to the vulnerabilities that come with older plumbing systems. Decades-old pipes—often made of cast iron, clay or early-generation plastics—develop cracks, corroded joints, and misalignments that create easy access points from the sewer or yard into…

Seattle’s winters are famously damp and mild rather than bitterly cold, and that seasonal character shapes ant behavior in and around local homes. Unlike regions where hard freezes drive nearly all insect activity to a halt, the Pacific Northwest’s combination of moderate temperatures, persistent moisture, and plentiful shelter means many ant species don’t vanish when…