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In October, brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha halys) commonly move toward and enter Seattle homes as they seek sheltered, above-ground sites to overwinter. This species responds to shortening day length and cooler autumn temperatures by aggregating in protected crevices on buildings, favoring attics, wall voids, window frames and other warm, dry microhabitats where they can…

Cats can reduce mouse activity in and around homes but are unlikely to eliminate an established infestation. Individual cats vary widely in hunting ability and motivation, and mice reproduce and hide in places that are inaccessible to a pet hunter; when food and shelter are abundant, predation alone rarely drives local rodent populations to zero….

You evaluate whether DIY rodent control is working by measuring changes in objective signs of activity—fewer fresh droppings, reduced gnaw marks and new holes, decreased bait or trap uptake, absence of fresh tracks and runways, and fewer live or dead sightings—over a sustained period rather than relying on single observations. Because rodents breed quickly and…

Rats keep coming back after you trap them because traps remove only individual animals while the food, shelter, and access routes that sustain a local population often remain in place, allowing survivors, immigrants, or rapidly produced offspring to recolonize the site. In the Pacific Northwest, the problem is amplified by mild, wet winters that permit…

To rodent-proof a home before winter in Seattle, seal holes and gaps larger than a quarter-inch in the foundation, walls, roofline and around utility penetrations, fit door sweeps and weatherstripping, cap chimneys and vents, and remove exterior food and nesting sites such as compost, bird seed, and woodpiles so mice and rats cannot enter or…

Mice and rats can transmit several serious diseases inside homes, including hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, leptospirosis, salmonellosis (food poisoning), and rat-bite fever, through contact with infected urine, droppings, saliva, bites, contaminated food or water, and airborne dust containing dried rodent excreta. These pathogens can contaminate kitchens, pantries, attics, and HVAC systems, and infections range from gastrointestinal…

Yes: rodents — including mice, rats and tree squirrels — can and do chew through electrical wiring, removing insulation and creating exposed conductors that may short, arc or ignite surrounding materials. Fire investigations and utility reports have repeatedly identified rodent-damaged insulation as the origin of residential electrical fires; the combination of continuous gnawing, rodents nesting…

Rats commonly enter crawl spaces during Seattle’s rainy season by exploiting ground‑level gaps, foundation vents and screens, utility and pipe penetrations, eroded soil or burrows beneath porches and slabs, and vegetation or debris that creates a protected route up to foundation openings. In the Pacific Northwest the most frequent culprits are Norway (brown) rats, which…

Mice build nests in garages and stored holiday boxes because those spaces offer protected, insulated sites with easily shredded nesting materials and proximity to food and heat sources. Garages and packed containers mimic natural nesting cavities—dark, dry crevices with stable temperatures—while cardboard, fabric, and soft packing materials provide the fibers mice use to construct warm,…

Scratching, scurrying, gnawing and occasional thumping heard inside walls at night are classic signs of rodents—most commonly house mice, Norway rats, roof rats, or deer mice—moving, feeding, nesting, or chewing on structural materials. Those sounds are not just a nuisance: they indicate living rodents that are adapting to your building’s shelter and food sources, often…