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Most bugs that get into and reside inside our homes are harmless. However, you should address the presence of harmful ones, such as bed bugs, roaches, or termites, that can harm you and your home. Additionally, if you notice a significant increase in bug sightings of any kind, it's a good time to perform a home inspection, looking for water or structural damage that could be inviting them in. 

While possums don’t typically carry rabies, they can have lice, fleas, ticks, and mites. According to the University of California’s Pest Management Program, possums can also carry diseases like leptospirosis, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, and fevers. Possums are also the carriers of a parasite that can pass to horses and cats called Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM).

Moles live underground and feed on insects. They dig and move through tunnels, usually in meadows or forests but sometimes in lawns and gardens. They are about 6 inches long with large claws, tiny eyes, and hidden ears. 

Shrews do not dig their own tunnels but will use other animals’ tunnels, and are about 3 to 4 inches long. They look similar to mice and feed on insects.

Voles are similar in size to moles but have large eyes and small but visible ears. Rather than eating insects, voles are herbivores that prefer seeds, grasses, and plant roots.

For a non-chemical bed bug treatment, you can try spraying your mattress with a mixture of essential oils, rubbing alcohol, and water. Pesticide sprays are available, but using them can pose potential health risks to humans and pets—especially if they are not applied correctly. If non-chemicals do not eradicate your bed bug infestation, you should consult a pest control specialist to determine the best course of action.