In 2017, researchers from North Carolina State University spotted more than 500 different species of pests and insects in U.S. homes.
The National Pest Control Association says termites and other insects cause more than $5 billion in damage annually to homes in the country. The best thing you can do "is prevent pests before they arrive, and then treat their outbreaks immediately before serious health damage or even structural damage to your home," says Matt Fry, an entomologist and pest control expert at Cornell University.