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Many brownish housebound arachnids could be mistaken for hobo or wolf spiders, including nursery web spiders. An easy way to classify is to look for traditional spider webs, as neither hobos nor wolves participate in this practice.

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.

Neither the black widow nor the brown recluse are deadly spiders, and North America has no deadly species. However, other places in the world do, including Australia, which is home to the funnel web spider, considered the world’s deadliest spider. However, Australia has not reported deaths from a funnel web spider bite over the past few decades after developing an antivenom.

Roaches entering your home or infesting an area are usually the result of poor sanitation. Cockroaches feed off of crumbs, spills, food scraps, and other organic matter, so they’re more likely to stick around and come back for more if your space isn’t cleaned up regularly. Maintain your home and prevent roaches by cleaning the kitchen area daily, sealing food tightly, removing open water sources, and eliminating clutter.