House Spiders – and how to banish them?

Well, here’s a topic even I’m not keen to cover! However, the media appear to be claiming that we will be over-run by ‘giant’ spiders this year – which I have yet to witness!

On the subject, though, here are some thoughts on our eight-legged friends.

• The reason we generally think spiders are getting bigger every year…. is because they are! Spiders, once they find somewhere safe and warm to live (your lovely home!), will generally stay there for the duration of their lives, which for a typical house spider in the UK averages a couple of years but can be as long as seven years in a quiet spot! So, they are growing up on your property.
• Whilst spiders seem to appear more frequently in Autumn, leading us to assume they have come in from outside, they tend to reside in our homes year-round – they remain out of our way until mating season (something I don’t want to think about!) until Autumn so will then venture further from their web homes.
• Peppermint Oil: A ‘remedy’ to banish spiders from your home that I was sceptical of until recently tested by an arachnophobe friend – who has reported no sightings so far in her commonly spider-friendly home. I might have to give it a try…. Then again, my dad always said, “the spiders eat the flies, you know, and they are a lot worse”. Wise words.

We don’t generally need pest control for spiders in the UK. There are many products on the market, from sprays to vacuums for those who feel the desire to be rid of them. However, I tend to find that placing a container (a plastic cup works well) over one and then sliding the card underneath before putting it outside is quite effective – if not always long-lived!