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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.

You can remove a wasp nest yourself, but it isn’t a good idea. Although it looks easy enough to hit down a nest with a broom, wasps may be inside or around the nest and are known for getting aggressive when their nest is threatened. If you follow our guidelines for removing wasps nests with pesticide spray, insecticidal dust, water and dish soap, or boiling water, you may be able to safely tackle the problem.

First, you’ll start noticing fewer flying termites in the air. Second, you’ll see fewer ground-based termites near the entrances to their colony, and eventually none at all. Third, if you have access to part of the nest like mud tubes, you can scour away a section and watch it. If the tubes don’t get repaired, the nest is probably doomed. Again, it can take several weeks for termites to fully go away, depending on the type of treatment.

If you’re having trouble with your traps, first examine them for flaws that would allow a squirrel to escape easily, such as loose doors or hinges. It’s also important to consider the location of your trap: Place it in areas with higher squirrel traffic, and make sure it’s on a sturdy surface so it can’t wobble or tip (squirrels aren’t likely to walk in a trap that isn’t stable). Lastly, try changing out your bait—in-shell peanuts or peanut butter often work best.