Pest Control in Boulder Creek, CA

Pest pressure in Boulder Creek

Boulder Creek is a mountain town deep in the redwoods at the head of the San Lorenzo Valley. The dense forest, heavy shade and damp ground bring strong pressure from roof rats, wildlife, ants, silverfish and wasps, and the rustic cabins and older homes carry real dampwood and drywood termite risk. Properties back directly onto forest and creeks.

• Deep-forest mountain town at the head of the San Lorenzo Valley
• Heavy shade and damp ground drive rodents, wildlife and moisture pests
• Rustic cabins carry dampwood and drywood termite risk

Boulder Creek homes and local pest pressure

Boulder Creek is the last town up the San Lorenzo Valley, set in some of the deepest redwood forest in the county, and the homes reflect it — rustic cabins and older houses backed directly onto forest and creeks, many on dirt roads well off the highway. Of all the valley towns this is the dampest and most heavily shaded, and that drives strong, steady pest pressure. Wood rats and roof rats build in woodpiles, outbuildings and the canopy and move into attics and crawlspaces; raccoons, skunks, squirrels and other wildlife den under cabins and decks because the forest comes right up to the walls. The constant moisture feeds Argentine ants and silverfish inside, and it is hard on wood: cabins framed in redwood and sitting in wet, shaded ground see dampwood termites in the saturated beams, subterranean termites from the soil, and drywood termites in the framing. On a Boulder Creek lot the house is essentially part of the forest, so the pests that live in that forest treat it as one more place to shelter and feed.

Pest control around Boulder Creek

It is a long run for us — over Highway 17 and up Highway 9 past Felton, Brookdale and Ben Lomond, with Scotts Valley and the Lexington Hills over the ridge. Because the drive is real, we plan thorough visits rather than quick stops. The work is heavy on rodent and wildlife exclusion and termite inspection, since nearly every cabin backs onto forest and creek and most are old wood. Steep lots, detached outbuildings, propane and water-line penetrations, and crawlspaces built into slopes all add entry points, so we crawl the structure carefully to find and seal every gap.