Currents. Fox Island Pest Control's Local Quarterly Newsletter

Fox Island Pest Control's Seasonal Newsletter
Vol. Winter, 2025

In This Issue:

Past Quarter Local Service Report

Current Seasonal Pest & Service Strategy

Entomology Focus: Rattus norvegicus (Norway Rat)

Prevention Is The Best Strategy When it Comes to Rats

FIPC Feature Service – Rodent Birth Control

Fox Island Pest Control Service Excellence

Past Quarter Local Service Report

Welcome to Fox Island Pest Control’s debut issues of “Currents” for 2025!

My goal is to provide added value to your ongoing preventative service by keeping you up-to-date with current pest issues in our local community along with our pest prevention strategies for the upcoming season. In addition, ‘Currents’ will provide you with entomological level information on the pests that affect our community and share with you some of the innovative eco-friendly practices and protocols Fox Island Pest Control has, and continues to develop, to keep you pest free while protecting your family and honoring our commitment to wildlife and the environment. 

For our new clients who onboarded this past quarter, a special “Thank You” and welcome to the Fox Island Pest Control family! I am so grateful for the trust you have placed in our local family business and I look forward to keeping your homes and businesses pest free.

What a busy Fall season it has been!

We were still seeing the effects of last Winter’s mild temperatures these past several months with increased activity in not only spiders but also late season sporadic ants, Yellow Jackets, regional outbreaks of Stink Bugs and a single swarm of Moisture Termites in the Kopachuck area of Gig Harbor! Moving into Winter, the focus is rodents; particularly rats which is the main focus and theme of this edition of ‘Currents’.  In addition,  I am keeping a close eye on this year’s temperatures as we move into February and I will be prepared adjust this quarter’s strategy with an increased focus on pre-emergents. 

On the Integrated Pest Management efforts of Fox Island Pest Control, I am extremely excited and proud to announce Fox Island Pest Control will become the only local pest control company and one of only a handful of companies within the State of Washington to offer rodent birth control! Yes, you read that correctly! This is an exciting new, humane and non-toxic innovation which rivals or surpasses the effectiveness of rodenticides and without the associated risks of secondary off-target poisons. Read more about this upcoming service in the FIPC Feature Service article in this edition of ‘Currents’.

And finally, I would like to thank everyone who gave business referrals and who wrote such wonderful Google reviews this last quarter! Referring and sharing your experience with potential clients in the local community has made such a positive impact on our local family business and I cannot thank you enough! If you have not left a review and would like to, you can do so below:

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE A REVIEW

John R. Smith,

Owner & Master Technician

Current Seasonal Pests & Service Strategy

This Winter, Fox Island Pest Control will be generally focused on rodent activity and pre-emergent spider control and prevention.

Service visits this quarter will include enhanced structure inspections. Specifically, I will be looking for rodent activity near or on structures including signs of fresh droppings, burrowing, gnawing or other related disturbances. These inspection will also include a quick inspection of the crawlspace, if warranted, along with inspecting rodent monitor traps if these have been placed.

For insect control and prevention, pre-emergent exterior applications will focus on spider prevention. These applications will target any spider egg sacs that have been produced this past Fall to prevent spider hatchlings from developing. 

Clients who have had previous issues with ants, (particularly Odorous House Ants)  this past year will also see targeted exterior pre-emergent ant gradual applications along past affected foundations.

Be sure to log into your client portal to see your next service date and look for your service email reminder a few days before our visit. If you have specific concerns, please reach out so these can be addressed. If you were a “one-time” customer and would like to begin a quarterly preventative service, you can request service HERE.

Rodents

Entomology Focus: Rattus norvegicus (Norway Rat)

Norway Rat

What Are Norway Rats?

The Norway rat commonly referred to as the street or sewer rat, is believed to be of Asian origin, arriving in the U.S. on ships from other countries in the 1700s. Today, Norway rats are found throughout the world. Norway rats have fairly poor vision and are colorblind. Despite this, their other senses, including hearing, smell, touch and taste are keen. Although not extremely agile, they are capable ofrunning,climbingjumping and swimming. Norway rats are known to cause damage to properties and structures through their gnawing.Read more to learn about Norway rats, including Norway rat control.

What Do Norway Rats Look Like? 

Norway rats have bristly brown fur, with black hairs dispersed throughout their coat. Their underside tends to be lighter, with gray to off-white coloring and even yellow tones. Norway rats have small eyes and ears, and their tails are shorter than the length of their head and body coupled together. 

 

Norway Rat identification
 

What Are Typical Norway Rat Behaviors?

Norway rats are social pests, often building shelters close to one another. This means that where there is one burrow, there are likely others close by. Their burrows have at least one entrance hole and a minimum of one bolt-hole, or emergency exit, which is often hidden under grass, debris and other materials.

When outdoors, Norway rats tend to live in fields, farmlands and structures. They frequently burrow in soil near riverbanks, in garbage and woodpiles, under concrete slabs, and along railroad embankments, streams and riverbanks. Norway rats typically enter homes in the fall when food and water sources become scarce outside. These rodents can fit through a hole the size of a quarter, easily gaining entry into homes to nest. Once inside a home, Norway rats often nest in basements, piles of debris or undisturbed materials. They also enjoy nesting on the ground floor and on the lower floors of buildings, as well as in sewers. Although they prefer settling on lower levels, Norway rats may also occasionally reside in attics, on roofs and other high points.

Norway rats are nocturnal. They characteristically forage at dusk, and then again prior to dawn. However, they eat several times each night and during the daytime. These rats will carry the food they find to less busy areas for consumption, or to hoard. Adaptable feeders, Norway rats eat practically anything but show a preference to meat, fish and cereal. This differs from the eating habits of roof rats, which prefer fruits and vegetables. Dog food is also a favorite menu item for Norway rats.

What Are The Risks To You From Norway Rats?

These rodents are known to gnaw through almost anything – including plastic or lead pipes – to obtain food and water sources for survival.Norway ratsalmost always require a water source separate from the liquid they may find in food. They are creatures of habit.If they eat something they dislikeNorway rats will quickly develop an aversion to that food and search for an alternative option. Once they find a favorable food source, Norway rats will return time and again. They tend to follow the same route—usually along a vertical pathway that they feel out with their long whiskers—between their shelter and sources of food and water. Theywill typically travel about 100 to 150 feet awayfrom their shelter for food and water, although this range is smaller in urban areas where they will venture only about 25 to 100 feet away from their home.

Thanks to this propensity to gnaw through almost anything, Norway rats can cause damage to properties and structures, making them a threat to homeowners. Equally important, Norway rats are carriers of serious diseases, including jaundice, rat-bite fever, cowpox virus, trichinosis and salmonellosis. Learn more about the health threats posed by rodents in the article, “An Overview of the Real Health Risks Posed By Mice and Rat Infestations.” Norway rats also pose other health threats, as they can contaminate food and introduce fleas into a home.

What Are The Signs Of A  Norway Rat Infestation?

There are several telltale signs that a home has a Norway rat infestation. Gnaw marks throughout the house are one clue of the presence of Norway rats. New bite marks or holes tend to be rough, whereas older ones are smooth from wear and are also often greasy. Spotting droppings, which are capsule-shaped, is another key indicator of a Norway rat problem. Norway rats’ droppings have blunt ends, while those of roof rats have pointed ends. Other signs include footprints, greasy and dark rub marks from oily fur against pathways, burrows, runways with stacked food, and damaged or rummaged-through food products. Check out this infographic on the signs of a rodent infestation for more information.

source: pestworld.org:

Prevention Is The Best Strategy When it Comes to Rats  by John R. Smith
 
From the waters of Puget Sound to the majestic mountains and the lush evergreen forests that lay in between, there are few places that can match it. But what makes our home in the Pacific Northwest appealing, is also a perfect habitat for rats.
 
Further, given our cold damp winters, rats naturally seek out warm, dry environments to nest in, ultimately finding their way into your home’s crawl space or attic.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, the two common rats that thrive in our area are Norway and Roof rats. Due to the clever nature of the rat, they can be difficult to remove on your own. Further, both species are prolific producers. On average each year, the female Norway rat has 6 to 8 litters. Female rats are pregnant for 21 to 26 days, and each litter contains 7 rats on average but can have between 2 and 22 young. Female Roof rats can produce up to 40 offsprings per year. Left unchecked, a few rats that make their way into your home can quickly become a large infestation.

Unfortunately, many home owners are unaware they have an infestation until they hear sounds coming from their attics or crawl spaces, smell foul odors or see droppings, or even see the rodents themselves, before they realize they have a problem. Further, in many instances of infestation there is  structural damage that comes with it. This includes compromised insulation and vapor barriers with urine and feces, chewed electrical wiring and plumbing; all of which is not only expensive to repair but also poses potential health and safety hazards.

 
Insulation Damage

 

Despite the large populations of resident rodents in our area, it is possible to keep them from seeking out your home. Prevention is the best strategy when it comes to rats, and there are steps that can be taken to reduce or eliminate the risk. A through inspection of your home’s attic and crawl space should be completed by a professional. A technician will look for and identify entry points where rodents can gain access. This includes not only visible holes and breeches in ventilation screening, but also inspecting crawl space access doors, utility access points, garage doors, and signs of rodents burrowing under shallow foundations.

Once identified, these access points require proper exclusion. Methods include fortifying or replacing insufficient, damaged or missing ventilation screening, repair or replacing crawl space access doors, addressing garage door gaps and plugging up access holes with professional grade exclusion materials.

 

“The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful place to live with the natural beauty of our surroundings.
However, this environment is also ideal for rats.”

 

On the outside of the home, the strategy should be to reduce rodent attractants and potential nesting areas on your property. This includes keeping garbage containers lids secure, removing any debris or brush piles and, if you have fruit trees, removing fallen fruit off the ground – especially rotting apples which is a major rodent attractant. In addition, keep clutter away from your home and don’t allow your landscape to become overgrown by trimming away areas where rodents can move without fear of detection. And keep firewood piles neatly stacked and as clean as possible.

In the event you discover you have a rodent infestation, it is important to call a professional for at least an inspection to assess the extent of the infestation and identify how they got it. Further, when exterminating the infestations, there are several professional and consumer methods available but as an advocate of our environment and abundant wildlife, I feel it is critical to avoid the use of rodenticides as this poses risks to native animals and pets if they come in contact and consume a rodent that consumed these poisons. Rather, the safer method is the use of commercial grade snap traps with non toxic baits that are strategically placed in areas where children, pets and wildlife cannot come in contact with them. By using this method there is more labor involved as continually monitoring the traps is required but the results are equally as effective and without the undue risks rodenticides pose.

 

Eco Friendly

 

But trapping does require expertise, especially when it comes to rats. Unlike mice, rats will not approach a baited trap without caution. Rats are clever, and if they happen to snap a trap without getting caught, they likely will become trap-phobic. With that, it is critical to know when and how to set a trap, as rats not only map out their nesting areas such as a crawl spaces, but they also know when the area has been disturbed or something new, such as a trap, has been introduced. An experienced professional will know how to avoid this, and in the event they are trap-phobic before a pest control technician arrives, they will know how to re-condition the rat’s behavior so that it will lose its fear and ultimately let down its guard.

Fox Island Pest Control Logo

FIPC Feature Service - Rodent Birth Control

Fox Island Pest Control is currently developing the safest, most eco-friendly and humane rodent population control program available utilizing the innovative rodent fertility control products from SenseTech, the leader in fertility control solutions for managing animal pest populations. This safe, non-toxic and highly effective rat birth control targets rodent populations at the source, reducing infestations humanely. ContraPest, and it's sister product Evolve, limits reproduction, making it an ethical and sustainable choice for long-term rodent management.

ContraPest contains two non-toxic pharmaceutical grade components that renders rodents up to %95 infertile and Evolve, which contains natural Cottonseed oil as the active ingredient, reduces fertility by +70%. Both products take up to 70 days to be fully effective. By design, rodents will stay infertile as long as they keep consuming the product which eliminatets any risk of secondary fertility issues in the event a non-target animal consumes a treated rodent.

Over the next few months, we will be evaluating the effectiveness of both ContraPest and Evolve on several test properties in Gig Harbor and Fox Island. Our goal is to recreate the rodent reduction results found in the STUDY performed which found a 95% reduction in litter size after a 50 day treatment of ContraPest.  

In addition, we also want to demonstrate and utilize rodent fertility control as a safe and effective rodent control alternative to the use rodenticides thereby eliminating the risk of secondary non-target poisoning of pets and wildlife. 

Because of Fox Island Pest Control’s IMP approach to rodent control,  the vast majority of residential clients only require our Standard Level Rodent Control that is included in our Quarterly Preventative Maintenance and Monthly Green Service programs. However, the introducing of rodent fertility control is ideal for homes with open or highly compromised foundations that cannot be feasibly rodent proofed, properties that have unusually excessive rodent populations due to “off-property” conditions such as nearby dumpsters or ideal breeding grounds for clients who wish to keep rodents to a minimum around their vegetable gardens, chicken coops or bird feeders. 

Fox Island Pest Control’s goal is to offer two additional rodent control measures in addition to our established “Standard Rodent Control Service” which is included in our Quarterly Preventative Maintenance program and our Monthly Green Service.

These new additions will include: Bi-Monthly Preventative Service with Enhanced Rodent Fertility Control utilizing Evolve with a +70% rodent fertility reduction. And a Monthly Preventative Service offering with Premium Rodent Fertility Control utilizing ContraPest with a 95% rodent fertility reduction. Look for these offerings and PRICING  on Fox Island Pest Control’s website in mid to late February, 2025.

To inquire about this, or any of Fox Island Pest Control’s services, request a quote or free inspection and assesment  HERE.

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