Since cockroaches eat just about anything, they can damage wallpaper, letters, drapes, clothing and furniture. While the damage may seem minimal at first, a sizable cockroach infestation can cause visible problems. Cockroaches can also contaminate many food products due to their activity.

If you think you may have bed bugs in your home, it's important to be able to identify them. Bed bugs look different at different stages of their life cycle, but they tend to be from one to three millimeters long. Adult bed bugs are oval shaped and brown or reddish brown in color. They are also very thin and flat, which makes it easy for them to squeeze in tight places.

If you see one rodent, there are likely more nearby. Rodents reproduce quickly, causing a population boom. An infestation of rodents creates a greater risk for disease and property damage.

Termite infestations impact more than 600,000 homes in the U.S. each year, causing around $5 billion in damage and treatment for homeowners. Large termite colonies can eat up to a pound of wood in a month. And since these termites remain hidden while attacking a home, by the time signs of an infestation are noticed, you may have severe and expensive termite damage on your hands.

Spiders are found in ecosystems worldwide and number over 45,000 species. Spiders vary in size from the tiny Samoan moss spider, which is only .011 inches long, to the huge Goliath birdeater, a tarantula with about a foot of leg span.

Raccoons, opossums, and other wild animals can cause many issues for your home. Not only can they do structural damage, but they can also create entry points for other pests to invade.

Throughout most of the country, mosquito season begins in the early summer and continues into the fall. In the warmer southern states, mosquitoes could be active all year. Mosquitoes prefer damp, dark places and tend to become more active around dusk and into the night.

Ticks are small, eight-legged, blood-sucking insects. They feed on the blood of many animals and people. While they are hard to spot, these little pests can transmit dangerous pathogens that may lead to disease.

If you see a small crawling creature with protruding antennae and multiple legs slithering along your wall or floor, chances are good that you will feel a tad unnerved. But is this multi-legged creature a centipede or a millipede? Read on to find out.