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Mice, rats, and other rodents are survivalists. They've developed a set of skills that can help them survive even in challenging, predatory conditions. For that reason, they can be hard to get rid of once they've staked their claim in your home. Often, the best way to get rid of rodents is to keep them from getting into your home in the first place.

No, mothballs do not keep bats away. Not only are mothballs completely ineffective when repelling or removing bats, but using them could be illegal, depending on where you live. Remember, bats are federally protected, and it's illegal to use chemicals during the removal process, and mothballs tend to fall into this category.

Skunks spray as a defense mechanism to ward off predators. The active ingredient in their sulfurous, oily musk is n-butyl mercaptan, which evaporates into a powerful and smelly gas. Once the spray hits the skunk’s target, the stench can linger for days, and water and common cleaning kits aren’t enough to wash it away.

If you happen upon a skunk in your yard, try to back away slowly to reduce the chance of them aiming at you. Encouragingly, they don’t use their weapon casually, as it can take up to 10 days for their life-saving weaponry to refill. Paw stamping, hissing, lifting their tail, and arching their back are early signs they feel trapped or under threat and that it’s time to make a careful retreat.

Water bugs won’t actively chase you, but they earned the nickname “toe-biters” for good reason. Water bugs are highly defensive. They typically rest an inch or so below water, waiting for prey. But if they feel threatened by a human that gets close, they may inject the person with a harmless venom from their legs, which may feel like a bite.