We have all probably seen those little silvery bugs that seem to scurry away when we open a food cupboard, or when we are cleaning out a fireplace.
These bugs, called silverfish, look a little innocuous but are one of the hardest creatures to eliminate completely from our homes.
They love to feed on mould or spores and since most of us have something stashed away in the attic or crawl space, this is an ideal location for them.
Indeed, even houses that have wooden shingles on the roof are ideal for this animal since they love anywhere damp which is just a little out of reach to be treated.
Once they take hold, they then spread down into the house through the voids that house plumbing pipes.
This is also great for them since they love the warmth of the place too.
Fascia boards, crawl spaces and even electrical socket voids all have space for this little creature to infest and it is easy to see how difficult it is to treat the whole house.
When infestation becomes too much, it is inevitable that the experts have to be called in to treat the house.
But their job becomes difficult with all the modern treatments, like blown in insulation that is added after the house is built, holds many little cavities for the silverfish to thrive in.
Indeed, many companies cannot guarantee to get rid of this pest once and for all no matter how many times they visit.
Since this pest does no real damage, and it also does not bite human beings, most people put up with seeing a few of them scurrying around now and then until there are too many.
Once they are spotted, of course, the experts can do something to keep their numbers down.
Another creature that is seen in houses far too often is the house centipede.
These things have long narrow bodies with an enormous amount of legs and two horn-like protrusions at the front.
Although most centipedes live outside, feeding on other bugs and spiders at night, some of these varieties get into the home by mistake.
They can leave rather a severe burn like sting on a human and that is why we all fear them so much.
The best way to keep the outdoor variety away is to keep vegetation away from the house.
This is where it finds its food at night so if it is not on the house, it is unlikely to get in by mistake.
Even grasses and other plants around the garden area should be kept a foot or two away from the foundations and any cracks or obvious holes sealed up to stop entry.
For the house centipede, this really needs some specialist treatment by the experts who will know the habits of the creature and will be able to act accordingly.
Indeed, anyone who has found more than a couple is only too willing to leave it to the experts since they are normally nervous of having them around.