Pest Control
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Spiders divide opinion. Some people are glad of them for the flies they catch. For others, and a fear of spiders is very common, one running across the living room carpet is enough to spoil an evening. Either way, there is a lot you can do to see fewer of them.
Common house spiders
- Giant house spiders. The big, fast, brown spiders that sprint across the floor in autumn. They build sheet webs in quiet corners, sheds and behind furniture. Alarming to see, but harmless.
- Daddy long-legs spiders (cellar spiders). Small bodies, very long thin legs, and loose, untidy webs in ceiling corners. They like warm, stable temperatures, so they live indoors all year.
- Noble false widows. A glossy, dark brown spider with a bulbous abdomen and pale markings, found around window frames, sheds and conservatories. Bites are uncommon and usually happen when a spider is trapped against the skin. Most cause pain and swelling similar to a wasp sting. If a bite becomes very swollen, red or painful, or you feel unwell, speak to a pharmacist or GP.
- Zebra spiders. Small black-and-white jumping spiders seen on sunny walls and windowsills. Their sudden jumps can be startling, but they are harmless.
Why do you see more spiders in autumn?
Many of the spiders you see indoors were already living there, tucked away in corners, under furniture and in lofts and garages. In late summer and autumn, mature male house spiders leave their webs to look for females, which is why they suddenly appear crossing floors and walls, or stuck in the bath. Others come in through open windows and doors, and through gaps around frames, pipes and vents.
How to keep spiders out
- Seal the gaps. Check that windows and doors close snugly. Fit brush strips to external doors, and seal gaps around frames, pipes and cables.
- Mesh vents and air bricks with fine insect mesh, without blocking the airflow they are there to provide.
- Fit insect screens to windows you like to leave open on warm evenings.
- Cut down their food. Spiders go where insects are. Fewer flies and moths indoors means fewer spiders.
- Think about outside lighting. Bright lights by doors and windows draw insects in, and the spiders follow. Warmer, yellower bulbs attract fewer insects.
- Clear the wall line. Keep log piles, rubble and dense planting away from the walls of the house, and cut back shrubs and climbers that touch it.
Inside the house
- Vacuum regularly, including ceiling corners, behind and under furniture, and window frames. This removes spiders, webs and egg sacs.
- Declutter lofts, garages, cupboards and spare rooms. Boxes and piles of stored things give spiders undisturbed places to settle.
- Use a spider catcher to move individual spiders outside without touching them.
- Sticky traps along skirting boards and behind furniture will catch wandering spiders, and are useful for showing where they are coming from.
Peppermint oil, citrus, vinegar and conkers are all popular deterrents. The evidence that they keep spiders away is weak, and they are no substitute for sealing gaps and cleaning.
When to call us
Spiders rarely need treatment, and for most homes the steps above are enough. If you are seeing large numbers despite them, if a false widow population has settled around a child's bedroom window or a conservatory, or if spiders are causing you real distress, get in touch. We can find where they are coming in, advise on proofing, and treat the problem areas where that is the right answer. A steady supply of flies is often part of the picture, and our fly control page covers dealing with that.