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Squirrels are like scent detectives. They rely heavily on their noses to locate their next meal and cozy shelter. But guess what? They're not fans of certain scents like coffee grounds, peppermint, white vinegar, garlic, cinnamon, and predator urine. You can try some natural squirrel-repellent tricks by whipping up a garlic and vinegar spray concoction and applying it daily to areas you want to protect.

Naturally occurring EPA-registered Bti products are an effective way to kill off mosquitoes at the larval stage. And, although they won’t wipe them out, there are lots of natural repellents that make your yard less attractive to mosquitoes. Try planting some marigolds, lemon thyme, or other plants they’ll steer clear of, light a citronella candle or two, or lay some bug-offensive cedar mulch.

Ticks are most commonly found behind (or even inside) ears, behind knees, in belly buttons, in the hair, and in your underarms. If you find a tick on your body or on your pet, use a pair of clean tweezers to grab the tick as close to the surface of your skin as possible. If you simply yank or twist it, you can leave the tick’s mouth parts lodged in your skin and will need to remove those carefully with the tweezers. 

Once you have removed the tick, flush it down the toilet and wash your skin with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Know the signs of lyme disease such as fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a rash.

Calling your local exterminator at the first sign of a wild animal problem might be tempting. But pest control isn’t the same as wildlife removal, and you’ll want to stick with a wildlife removal pro for this job. Pest control exterminators treat for insect removal and may even use poisonous sprays. Wildlife removal companies only use poison as a last resort and always try humane methods first—taking special care not to harm wild animals.