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If you spot a big, fast spider scurrying across your basement floor, there is a good chance it is a wolf spider. They look intimidating, especially in fall when they wander indoors to escape the cold. Good news for Wisconsin homeowners, wolf spiders do not want to bite you. They will only bite if handled…

Opossums are a regular sight in Wisconsin backyards. You might catch them shuffling along the fence at dusk or checking the compost for a snack. If you have been wondering how long opossums live, you are not alone. Understanding their lifespan helps you make sense of the activity around your home and plan smart prevention….

If you are hearing bumps on the roof at night or finding footprints by the trash, you might be wondering what animal you are dealing with. A common question is simple. Is a raccoon a rodent? The short answer is no. Raccoons are not rodents, even though they sometimes act like oversized, clever squirrels. Knowing…

If you have ever watched your backyard go quiet after the first snow, you might wonder where all the squirrels disappeared to. The short answer is that they are still around. They are just laying low. In Wisconsin, squirrels stay active through winter. They stash food in fall, choose tight shelters, and ride out the…

Spotting a roach in the kitchen is enough to make anyone cringe. If you are wondering how to kill a cockroach quickly and prevent more from showing up, you are in the right place. In Wisconsin, roaches tend to ride in on groceries, boxes, and used appliances. Winter pushes them deeper indoors. A single sighting…

Waking up with itchy red spots can be frustrating. If you are wondering how long bed bug bites last, you are not alone. In Wisconsin, bed bugs pop up year round. Travel, guests, and secondhand furniture are common culprits. The good news is that bites usually clear on their own. The better news is that…

If you see slow-moving flies gathering at sunny windows in late fall or on a midwinter thaw, you are likely dealing with cluster flies. They look like bigger, darker houseflies and they love warm light. The surprise is they do not come from your trash. Their young develop in soil where they parasitize earthworms. That…

If you have seen a shield-shaped bug buzzing clumsily around a lamp, you have your answer. Yes, stink bugs fly. The brown marmorated stink bug is the most common nuisance species in Wisconsin, and it uses flight to find warm, sunlit walls in fall. From there it squeezes into tiny gaps to overwinter in wall…

If you are seeing orange beetles with black spots clustering on sunny walls in fall, you are not alone. Asian lady beetles are invasive in Wisconsin, and they often try to overwinter inside homes. They are helpful predators outdoors, but indoors they stain, smell, and annoy. Good news. With a little timing and sealing, you…

If you are seeing red-striped bugs clustering on sunny siding or sneaking inside when the weather turns cool, you likely have a boxelder bug infestation. These insects are mostly a nuisance, but they can show up in big numbers and make a mess on windows, curtains, and baseboards. A little warm sunshine on the south…