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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.

Moles live underground and feed on insects. They dig and move through tunnels, usually in meadows or forests but sometimes in lawns and gardens. They are about 6 inches long with large claws, tiny eyes, and hidden ears. 

Shrews do not dig their own tunnels but will use other animals’ tunnels, and are about 3 to 4 inches long. They look similar to mice and feed on insects.

Voles are similar in size to moles but have large eyes and small but visible ears. Rather than eating insects, voles are herbivores that prefer seeds, grasses, and plant roots.

Yes, bears can smell through walls if they are close enough. Estimates vary, but experts say bears can smell up to a maximum distance between one and 20 miles. Food inside a house does not attract bears to the degree that food left outside does, though.

Poison will kill small rodents and can seem like the quick and easy way to get rid of them. But—in addition to its inhumane nature—poison has some drawbacks. First of all, if you have small children or pets in the home, setting out poison isn't the best idea, as your pets or children could ingest it. 

Poisoned mice and rodents don't die instantly. Instead, it can take several days for the poison to work its way through their system. In the meantime, there's a chance that a predator, such as a cat, fox, or other mammal, will eat the poisoned rodent and become poisoned themselves.