Thousands of tennis ball-sized spiders are invading homes this month — here's how to keep them out
UK households are being told to brace for an influx of spiders entering their homes in the coming weeks.
While summer may be coming to an end and many will be glad to see the back of the extremely hot days, spider season is officially upon us, which is almost definitely worse.
September marks the start of annual spider mating season, which typically lasts until mid-October.
During this time period, male spiders head indoors in search for a female mate, who remain stationary throughout.
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Male spiders can reach up to 10cm across the leg span, which is, remarkably, the same size as a tennis ball.
Try not to worry though as experts say that while most spiders are capable of biting in the UK, they are usually harmless.
Nonetheless, thousands of large spiders are set to enter homes in the coming weeks, so here's what you can do to keep your home as spider-free as you possibly can.
Avoid clutter
While this can be pretty common in the average household, spiders actually thrive in a lot of mess in a single place.
Think dark and cluttered places, male spiders are likely to thrive there, so a quick tidy up of the cupboard spaces could well save you from a spider invasion.
Open the curtains and blinds
Spiders love dark and dingy areas, so ensuring natural light is beaming in your home is crucial.
To put it simply, spiders love the dark, so allowing a lot of light in could well deter them away.
Seal any cracks
This is a simply way to keep spiders out as they often find a way to creep into a home through the tiniest gap, whether that be a door opening or window crack.
Experts are also advising homeowners to check floors and ceilings too for any gaps.
Orange peels
I know what you're thinking, how on earth can orange peels on windowsills stop spiders from coming in?
Well, according to ecologist professor Adam Hart, citrus smells at different entrances are ideal as bugs and spiders typically despise all such scents, meaning lemon and limes would also work well.
However, spiders can still make there way in, and Hart has urged people not to kill as 'spiders are incredibly important in the wider ecosystem'.
He told HuffPost: "We studied ‘spider season’ a few years ago by asking people to record their sightings, and by around mid-October sightings were unusual – so if you aren’t a spider fan don’t worry, ‘spider season’ doesn’t last forever."
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Happy hunting!
Callum Jones