SEATTLE, April 23, 2013 — /PRNewswire/ — As Bertha, the Highway 99 tunnel boring machine is reassembled and readied for its digging duties, area rodent and pest activity continues to climb and threaten local businesses.

Capture data from monitored locations in the “pest impact zone” along Seattle’s waterfront indicates an 83 percent increase in rodent captures from October 2012 through March 2013 versus the same period a year ago, according to AJ Treleven, national account manager, of Sprague Pest Solutions.

“The preliminary construction work, including the digging of Bertha’s boring pit, has disturbed rodent and pest harborage areas, and resulted in a significant increase in catch activity as they seek new sources of food and shelter,” says Treleven.

Tacoma-based Sprague Pest Solutions has been working with business owners and property managers in the “pest impact zone” reviewing and updating their property’s pest prevention plans to guard against the influx of Norway and roof rats, mice, and American cockroach infestations that could threaten them once the digging goes full force this summer.

The potential harm these pests present include contaminating and spoiling food supplies, transmission of disease and bacteria, and structural damage to buildings and electrical wiring.

“The best defense in this case is prevention,” says Treleven. “Completing the proper exclusion work and having an aggressive, protective rodent baiting program in place will save business owners and property managers’ time, money, hassles and potentially major pest problems.”

While Bertha’s arrival shortens the calendar to take action, Sprague’s Treleven says if businesses and property managers act now they can still implement a preventive pest strategy while the hulking steel machine is being reassembled and before it starts digging this summer.

For more information on how to protect your business from rodent and pest infestations as a result of the Highway 99 project, contact Sprague Pest Solutions at 206/323-5660, e-mail at [email protected] or at www.spraguepest.com/seattletunnel.

Sprague Pest Solutions, founded in 1926, delivers innovative pest solutions to clients throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and parts of Montana, Wyoming and Nevada. Sprague is a Copesan Services partner.