Bumps in the night go hand-in-hand — claw-in-claw, perhaps — with Halloween, just around the corner.

Our minds typically turn to ghosts and goblins this time of year, and our imaginations go into overdrive. But as much fun as Halloween is, those bumps, creaks and “moans” you might hear behind your walls this time of year probably aren’t ghouls. More than likely, they’re pests either making themselves at home or looking for a way out.

Even so, when you hear those scratching noises emanating from behind the wall, especially this time of year, they may as well be the boogeyman.

First, make sure the boogeyman isn’t simply the wind, expanding pipes or buckling siding, all easily mistaken for pest activity.

Once you’ve ruled out the weather or house groans as the culprit, some of the most common “ghouls” that tend to make noises in the walls include mice, rats, squirrels, raccoons, chipmunks, birds and bats. Even certain types of termites and beetles, carpenter ants and wasps can make audible noises from behind the walls.

Before these goblins do real damage — rats love to chew on wiring, for example — call Legacy. This time of year, with cooler weather approaching and pests seeking shelter inside, consider us the Ghostbusters of the pest world.

So, who you gonna call?