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As Halloween approaches, many Brits will be looking to decorate their houses with lights, cobwebs and carved pumpkins.
But you could be unwittingly inviting real creepy crawlies into your home, experts have warned.
Décor specialists have advised Brits to reconsider their plans before putting up all their spooky decorations, as they could tempt spiders and rats to your front door.
Carved pumpkins are the first cause of the problem since, after a day or two, they smell soft and sweet which can entice unwanted visitors, they said.
Adding bright porch lights also attracts flying insects – which in turn bring spiders – while fictitious webs can trap bugs.
'Halloween is all about thrills and chills, but a rodent infestation isn't the kind of scare anyone wants,' a spokesman from Quote My Wall said.
'By taking a few precautions, you can enjoy a fun and festive Halloween without worrying about unwanted guests sneaking in for a treat of their own.'
Thankfully help is at hand, a they experts have recommended a few easy swaps to help avoid a real–life nightmare.
Carved pumpkins are the first cause of the problem since, after a day or two, they smell soft and sweet which can attract unwanted visitors, experts said (file image)
Fake spider webs, like these ones pictured outside a house in Leeds, could trap real bugs and tempt spiders to your home
Impressive Halloween themed decorations outside two houses on Case Grove, Prescott in Merseyside
Bringing your carved pumpkin indoors overnight or moving them well away from doors and windows can help keep pests at bay, they said.
Switching porch bulbs to warm or yellow LEDs and skipping the fake outdoor spider webs can deter flying insects.
Meanwhile keeping sweet bowls sealed and immediately sweeping up any spills reduces the chances of animals being tempted by the smell.
The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) in America has also issued a warning about rodents, adding that they can spread disease to humans and that preventing an infestation is key.
'Rodents can find their way indoors through tiny gaps – mice through openings as small as a dime, and rats through quarter–sized holes,' said Dr Jim Fredericks, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs.
'They don't care about the state of your home – if there's food and shelter, they'll try to move in.'
The NPMA recommends sealing entry points to your home, decluttering and scheduling regular inspections to look for droppings, chewed wires or nesting materials.
'The most effective prevention happens before you notice the first signs of trouble,' Dr Fredericks emphasized.
Large rats were spotted in Dagenham, East London earlier this year. Experts warn certain decorations could trigger a further surge in pests
This summer, rats were pictured running around the streets of Birmingham as rubbish piled high amid bin strikes
Dorset–based pest controller Terry Walker caught a giant 19–inch long mutant rat (left) while gas engineer Tony Smith, 46, spotted an enormous rat while working at a block of flats near Hackney Downs, north London (right)
'Pest control professionals can identify vulnerabilities that many homeowners may overlook and help protect your health and home.'
People living in the UK were recently warned to brace for a surge in rodents thanks to an unusually high acorn season.
Specialists say the bumper season could lead to a spike in rat activity as the creatures take advantage of the extra food supplies.
It comes as hunters already report catching rodents more than 20 inches long amid a 'horrendous infestation'.
HOW SMART ARE RATS?
Rats are considered highly social animals that become attached to each other, love their families and can bond with their human owners.
It is believed they are capable of empathy and can recognise and react to pain in others.
A study by Jaak Panksepp, a neuroscientist at Bowling Green State University, found when rats are tickled they make chirping sounds that are similar to human laughter.
'[Y]oung rats have a marvellous sense of fun', said Dr Panksepp, adding that the rodents bonded with the human tickler and liked to be ticked as much as possible.
Contrary to their reputation they are also very clean animals and groom themselves regularly.
Rats are highly social animals that become attached to each other, love their families and can bond with their human owners
In September last year researchers from New York University found when rats are frightened in the day, the fear centres in their brains are re-activated during sleep - potentially helping to strengthen memories.
Researchers say that rats store maps of what they experience in both of their hippocampi - two curved structures inside the brain.
Different places that the rat experiences are processed by different groups of neurons that activate together in sequence as a rat runs around a maze.
After exploring an area, these sequences have been observed replaying as the rat sleeps - comparable to dreaming of the paths they'd taken when they were awake.
Researchers believe that this allows memories to be stored in the long term.
The most recent research by the University of St Andrew's found rats help each other out in return for favours in a similar way to humans.
The rodents were found to groom food-providers more often than partners who had refused to help.
In addition, common Norway rats offered more food to those who cleaned them, researchers found.
