Kirkland Pest Control: A History of the Area and Its Creatures

Kirkland, WA, is one of the more well-known parts of the Seattle area. Most people outside of the area know of it from the Kirkland brand that Costco sells. The brand name comes from a time when their headquarters was in Kirkland. However, the HQ now resides approximately 12 miles east in Issaquah. Of course, Costco is but one part of Kirkland’s rich and storied history – a story that involves steel, annexations, and provides an understanding of the type of pests that Kirkland pest control companies have to deal with regularly.

One Man’s Vision of a Steel Town

The city of Kirkland gets its name from Peter Kirk, a British steel tycoon that came to the Pacific Northwest in the 1880s. He and his business partners owned a company called the Moss Bay Hematite Iron Company in Workington, Cumberland, England. On a trip to what was then known as Washington Territory, he learned of iron ore near Snoqualmie Pass, and, with this knowledge, he wanted to create a Pittsburgh of the west – a company and town with a virtual monopoly on steel production on the west coast.

So, in June 1980, Great Western Iron and Steel was born. During 1891 and 1892, the steel mill construction was at full strength. They had got it mostly completed when the Panic of 1893 wound up bankrupting Peter Kirk’s newest endeavor. Without ever producing a single ounce of steel, the mill closed for good.

But the region was still “Kirkland.”

In 1905, Kirkland incorporated. The most successful endeavors during the late 19th and early 20th centuries were wool milling and shipbuilding.

Nowadays, Kirkland is one of the best places to live in Washington. It has numerous notable employers, including Google, WB Games, Tableau, and the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. Along with Redmond and Bellevue, Kirkland is arguably in the top three cities on the east side of Seattle for economic prosperity and quality of life.

Kirkland Pest Control: The Pests of the Past and Present

As you might imagine, when the first settlers arrived in this region, there would have been a substantial amount of wildlife and insects. Owls would have perched in trees. There would have been plenty of spiders (there still are), and numerous birds in what is now known as Juanita Bay Park. As the settlers arrived, they cleared most of those trees and built farmland.

There are no reports of the farmers or businesses in Kirkland losing everything to pests as there are in some parts of the country. With that said, pests that Kirkland pest control companies encounter are:

• Termites: These little insects cause at least $5 billion in damages annually, and they are reasonably common in the Seattle area.
• Spiders: Western Washington does have some Black Widow spiders, but other than that, the spiders in Kirkland are mostly harmless. However, if you see a plethora of spiders around your house, you’ll probably want an exterminator as they’re feeding on other insects, which may be problematic!
• Bed bugs: These pests have become more of a problem in recent years – especially as people travel and bring them back. While they don’t spread diseases, you want to get an exterminator out to get rid of these little insects!
• Cockroaches: If you see one cockroach in your home, you almost invariably have an infestation. You’ll want to get someone out to get them under control before they start causing problems.
• Rats and bats: Both of these are potential pests in the Kirkland area. These pests can carry diseases that can cause problems for humans, and a professional should remove them.
• Bees and wasps: If you find it difficult to navigate outside or if you ever see these insects in your home, you’ll want to call a Kirkland pest control company to get them removed – especially if you have children.

Quality Kirkland Pest Control

If you have any of these or other pests in your home, contact us for pest control options. We can make sure that none of these insects or animals bother you again!