The majority of the insects creeping into cracks and crevices around and in your home are simply a nuisance, said Gene Chafe, general manager for Senske Pest Control in Kennewick.

Only a few can damage your house or belongings and only two of the many spiders calling the Mid-Columbia home are poisonous -- the hobo and the black widow.

But even if they're not poisonous, who wants to live with multilegged uninvited guests? They still track germs into the house and cobwebs are only attractive to the Addams Family.

And rodents -- besides being dirty animals -- are destructive. Their sharp teeth can chew through pantry doors where cardboard boxes and plastic bags offer no protection to the food inside.

The large-eared deer mouse, the most common mouse in the Mid-Columbia, is a carrier for Hantavirus, which causes a serious, sometimes fatal, flulike illness in humans.

People are exposed to the virus when they sweep or vacuum up mice droppings sending virus laden dust into the air.

"Instead, spray the droppings with water mixed with a little floor cleaner like Pine-Sol, scrape up the droppings with paper towels and wash the floor, and your hands, with warm, soapy water," Chafe said.

The best way to avoid uninvited guests this fall is to bar the door.

-- Seal cracks and crevices with caulking. Check around doors and windows, pipes and wires, the siding and foundation. Replace or install weather stripping around doors.

"If you even suspect it's a crack or hole, seal it. Insects are small. You won't keep them all out, but it helps," Chafe said.

-- Trim your landscaping too. Cut back plants, bushes and trees that provide shelter -- and bridges to your house.

-- Spiders are actually our friends. Where we see a bug they see a meal, typically eating 10 times their weight in bugs every day.

But if they give you the willies, use a hose and a high-pressure nozzle to knock down webs around your windows, doors and the underside of covered walkways and porches.

Using yellow bulbs in porch lights -- which don't attract flying insects like regular incandescent and fluorescent bulbs -- also will help cut down on the spider population. No smorgasbord of bugs to snack on, no spiders.

-- No matter how convenient, resist the temptation to pile firewood next to the house. A wood pile makes a great apartment for insects and rodents too.

-- A clean home is the best defense against insects that can damage upholstery, drapes and wallpaper. Routinely vacuuming rugs and floors will help to minimize their population. Keeping cracks and crevices in baseboards and vents dust-free will deprive them of a comfortable place to hide and reproduce.

-- Because cooks often have sticky or greasy hands when they reach for seasonings, spice cupboards are notorious for insect infestation. Use a warm, soapy washcloth to wipe down the outside of spice jars, oil and vinegar bottles and any other products that are handled during cooking.

Seal any bottles and packaging tightly before putting back in the cupboard or pantry.

-- Keeping the basement, crawl space and under-sink cupboards clean and dry will help discourage insects from taking up residence. Where there's water, there's a way for insects to breed, feed and infest. Caulk around wash basins, toilet bowls and water pipes.

-- Piles of newspapers, grocery bags and other waste paper are cozy nesting places and tasty meals for many pests. Recycle them on a regular basis and keep recycling bins clean and dry.