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One scorpion sighting doesn’t necessarily mean there’s an infestation, but finding a scorpion in your home should always be taken seriously. Don’t panic, though, as that will only make the situation more stressful, and you may act irrationally out of fear. Most scorpions have extremely painful stings that cause swelling and redness, but they’re not life-threatening.

However, while not all species are dangerous, the Arizona bark scorpion, which is common in the southwest U.S., is highly venomous and potentially deadly to humans. Never attempt DIY removal if you suspect it may be the Arizona bark scorpion—instead, contact a pest control professional immediately for safe, effective scorpion removal

Scorpions cannot climb smooth, non-porous surfaces because their pincers and feet are unable to get a grip. This includes materials like clean glass, polished metal, and slick plastic. While they are excellent climbers on rough or textured surfaces like wood, brick, or stucco, their inability to scale smooth vertical surfaces is why glass jars and other slick containers are effective for trapping them or creating barriers.

Termites are very hard to remove, especially if you don’t work with a professional pest control service or keep up with routine treatments. Queen termites can lay up to thousands of eggs per day, meaning these pests can spread quickly. You may need to combine DIY treatments and professional extermination services to get rid of a termite infestation.

Gophers are ubiquitous in certain areas, and the only way to completely get rid of them is to put down gopher wire two feet below the surface of your soil and vertically along the edges of your yard. Unfortunately, this may not be a practical solution unless you’re completely redoing your yard or installing an aboveground garden. Alternatively, you may consider putting underground rock barriers around the edge of your yard to discourage gopher visits. However, you’ll still likely get some pests because they can dig as deep as 6 feet below the surface.