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It can be difficult to know what type of animal is in your attic until you see it. But several clues can help you narrow down the suspects:

• Sounds: Smaller animals like rats and mice make scurrying and tapping/gnawing sounds. Larger animals like raccoons and opossums make louder clambering noises. Also, note when animals are noisy: Squirrels are active during the day, while rats are busiest at night.

• Droppings: Rats and mice leave small, rice-shaped droppings (the rat’s version is significantly larger). Bigger droppings belong to larger critters like raccoons. As long as you’re not squeamish, an image search can help you identify what you’re seeing in your attic.

When in doubt, take photos of damage or other evidence and show them to an experienced pest control pro.

Mud tubes, wood damage, and swarming are typical indicators.

There are several possible reasons for a gnat infestation, and they vary based on the type of insect. One common reason is overwatering houseplants, which can create a moist environment that is attractive to fungus gnats. Another reason is leaving fruit out on the counter for too long, which can attract fruit flies. Drain flies are typically attracted by standing water and bacteria that are often the result of buildup or a clog in your drain or sewer line.

Fleas are leaps and bounds ahead of ticks when jumping from person to person. The average flea can cover 1.9 meters per second. It can also jump over 50 times its own height. Fleas rely solely on their magnificent leaps to jump hosts. While ticks can crawl relatively quickly, their strategy is usually to sit and wait for a victim to "hitchhike" in tall grass.