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The cockroach most easily confused with water bugs is the Oriental cockroach, for several reasons. Their shape is most similar to a water bug, and they’re notorious for seeking out and living near water. If you capture one of these bugs close to a water supply, you can quickly tell if it’s an Oriental roach or a water bug. These roaches are a darker color, and they cannot fly, while water bugs are a lighter brown and can fly to escape.

You can easily find sprays that claim they are safe for pets and kids. However, we’d rather not use them in our own homes if we’re worried about pet safety: They still include pesticides and other chemicals, and are best avoided in any food prep areas like the kitchen, or any spots where children and pets may place. That’s why sprays didn’t end up in our suggestions for the safest options.

Roaches have a strong sense of smell and are repelled by a variety of potent aromas. Scents that can help deter them include citrus (such as lemon and orange), herbs like peppermint, mint, basil, thyme, and oregano, spices like bay leaves, cinnamon, clove, and garlic, as well as lavender, eucalyptus, citronella, tea tree oil, and vinegar.

You can use these scents in several ways to create an unwelcoming environment for roaches:

• Plants: Place mint or lavender plants in your home or garden.

• Powders and Leaves: Sprinkle garlic powder or place crushed bay leaves and citrus peels in high-risk areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and entry points.

• Sprays: Create a diluted solution with scents like lemon or vinegar to spray in your home. These can also be used in cleaning products or as room fresheners.

• Essential Oils: While essential oils of these scents can be used, be cautious as they can be toxic to pets if inhaled.

It is important to note that while these smells can help keep roaches away, they typically do not kill them and may not be enough to drive out an existing infestation entirely. For best results, combine these scent-based deterrents with regular cleaning. Be sure to clean up all food spills, crumbs, and dirty dishes promptly, and keep trash cans covered with a tight-fitting lid to remove potential food sources.

Though it might look like the same wasps keep returning to your home year after year, most wasps do not return to the same nesting site. Instead, it’s far more likely that your home is attractive to wasps, encouraging different wasps to nest there come nesting season. Consider taking steps to prevent wasps to prevent a new group from coming next year.