Based on Vashon,
Quickly Available.
With over 25 years of pest control experience and living right here on Vashon, I provide fast, reliable service for Vashon and Maury Island.
Control for Rats – Mice – Ants – Spiders – And more!
Vashon Island Pests
Rodent Control
What type of rats are on the island?
Both Norway rats and Roof rats are both common on the island.
What damage do rats do?
Rats cause damage by spreading filth & disease, chewing damage to stored items, damage to insulation (attic and/or crawlspace), and they sometimes gnaw on electrical insulation resulting in broken wires and occasionally start fires.
Where do rats commonly nest?
Rats commonly nest in attics, under homes in crawlspaces, in garages & sheds, in outdoor rockeries, and occasionally within walls or between floors of a building.
What’s the best way to control rats?
We approach rat control with a combination of a through inspection, exclusion (closing gaps that let them in), then trapping and baiting. Please note that rat/mouse exclusion is important, but a few construction types do not allow for it. Since rats are well situated in the area they will continue to try and re-infest, even if they need to chew new entry holes. So, best practice is to have a periodic service that includes monitoring (re-inspecting for any changes) and perimeter trapping or baiting.
Mice
Are mice a problem on Vashon island?
There are two types of mice, the house mouse and the deer mouse found on Vashon. They also spread filth and disease, and they do damage from gnawing. Although they are much smaller than rats, they multiply even faster and usually make up for their small size with greater numbers. A mouse can squeeze under a door with a gap the size of a pencil. Mouse control consists of an inspection, exclusion (of even smaller gaps), trapping and baiting. Ongoing pest control service is usually the only way to keep ahead of new mouse infestations.
Ant Control
What kind of ants are found on Vashon/Maury Islands? The most common types of ants on Vashon are “Sugar Ants” (a.k.a. odorous house ants), Carpenter Ants, Moisture Ants, Pavement Ants, and Thatching Ants.
Sugar ants/Little black ants/odorous house ants
The most common pest ant which is very annoying within homes and businesses on Vashon/Maury Island is sugar ant. Thee ants are quit tiny, black and are often found in groups trailing in some area indoors. The accepted common name by entomologists is “odorous house ants” due to the smell they have when crushed. Odorous house ants live both outdoors and inside homes. Inside they most often frequent kitchens and bathrooms, but can be found in any part of the home. Care must be taken when attempting control of sugar ants/odorous house ants because many sprays will only move them around the home or even split up the colony…and now have worse infestation!
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants on Vashon. Carpenter ants cause structural damage as then “chew” into wood to create cavities for their colony. However, they do not eat wood like termites. They eat other insects and tend aphids for ‘honey due’ which is high in carbohydrates. Carpenter ants are the largest ants in the region and are black or black with reddish thorax (center between head and abdomen).
Carpenter ants have inhabited Vashon Island for eons, helping turn dead wood back into soil. In nature carpenter ants nest in old fallen tree trunks, stumps, and within the heartwood of live trees (particularly cedar trees.). In homes and other structures carpenter ants take advantage of readily found cavities, such as wall voids and attic spaces, which they can easily move into. Then they slowly expand their nest site by tunneling into structural wood causing serious damage.
Carpenter ants can be challenging to control at times because they spread out their greater colony among numerous nest sites.
Moisture Ants
Moisture ants have also been part of the Vashon Island ecosystem for millennia. Moisture ants are fairly-small and light brown to amber in color. Moisture ant nests are within very wet, rotting wood. But most people only find them when they swarm in the summer—often out of bathrooms where they indicate a plumbing leak or shower surround leak.
Pavement Ants
Pavement Ants on Vashon. Pavement ants are medium-sized brown ants that nest along edges of-, or within cracks of asphalt or concrete paving. These ants can be a nuisance, especially around patios, porches, and storefronts.
Thatching Ants
Thatching Ants on Vashon and Maury Islands are very prevalent. These are the ant mounds built from fragments of grass stalks and/or fir needles that are easy to spot. Thatching ants can bite and bend over to squirt a little formic acid for a “stinging sensation,” but should be considered beneficial unless they nest too close to a home.
Spiders
Spiders are frightening, horrible to find infesting indoors, and they make webs that messy up our amazing views here on Vashon. Fortunately, we do not have any black widow spiders on the island—although we have a look alike, the false black widow. All spiders have venom, but only larger ones can bite humans and normally it results in an unpleasant but manageable reaction. Spiders differ in that some create webs, some just hunt and pounce. If the indoors of your home is infested with spiders you’ll need an indoor treatment. But, since the spiders come from outside it is important to have the outside treated as well. Spiders only move where they will find food—insects to eat. So, period servicing of a home to both directly control spiders and to limit their insect pretty is advised.
Yellow Jackets and other Wasps
Both Yellow Jackets and solitary wasps can cause nasty stings.
Yellow Jackets are aggressive and form large nests. Disturbing their nest results in a massive attack to defend their colony. There are several species of yellow jacket found on Vashon, some nesting in the ground and some nesting in bushes or under house eaves. Those that nest in ground cavities will also nest in wall voids of a home. Yellow jacket control is obviously intense as the risk is high.
Solitary Wasps, such as polestes and mud daubers are quite large insects, but are either solitary or in small groups. These wasps become a threat with
Vashon-Maury Pest Solutions is experienced and prepared to professionally control yellow jackets and other wasps safely.
Other Pests
Other pests found on the island include damp wood termites, wood boring beetles, carpet beetles, fleas, earwigs, and many others. We have the experience to take most every pest on and control them safely.
About Me
Hello. I’m Aleah, the owner of Vashon-Maury Pest Solutions. I am dedicated to protecting your health, home and property from pests with effective, environmentally responsible pest solutions.
I am licensed and have over 25 years experience in the pest management profession. I take my professionalism seriously to provide effective and sustainable pest management. The variety of pests and the situations they present on Vashon are numerous and I enjoy the challenge to help you on your property.
I love the northwest, particularly the natural environment. So I approach pest control conscious of your health and that of the surrounding ecosystem.
And I love living on Vashon. I love the Vashon Deer, the Troll (Oscar the Bird King), the Maury Lighthouse, KVI Beach, Frog Holler Park, the Strawberry Festival, the Vashon Center for the Arts, the Pinball Museum, Granny’s Attic, Minglement, and the various stores uptown. But I especially enjoy meeting the variety of folks who live or vacation on Vashon while providing them my services.
