Ants
Their targets: sweet, greasy and protein-rich foods. Your battle plan: keep windows and doors shut, food wrapped and stored, and floors and counters clean. Remove anything that attracts ants – ice cream drips on your porch, hummingbird feeders and peony bushes near windows.

Indian meal moths
Their targets: they can cause spoilage in dried food products such as grains and pet food. Your battle plan: find the source. Clean out cupboards, check all dried foods and discard packages that show signs of infestation. Examine these areas for cocoons. After, freeze uninfested food or seal it firmly in glass or thick plastic containers.

Cockroaches
Their targets: food and water. Your battle plan: store all food and keep all areas clean. Fix dripping taps and vacuum regularly: their dry discarded skins can cause serious respiratory problems.

Bedbugs
Their targets: often found in hotels and hospitals, bedbugs may enter homes in bedding and pillows. Your battle plan: inspect luggage, sleeping bags, travel pillows and any imported materials before they enter your home. Wash everything in hot water and dry on high heat.