Trending

Huge ‘sex-crazed’ spiders will soon invade UK homes as mating season starts

Great.

Emily Sergeant - 24th August 2023

It’s that time of year again, and is it just us, or has it come around quicker than ever?

That’s right, as we get ready to wave goodbye to August and say hello to September, with the tiny glimpse of summer we were treated to a few months back already looking like a thing of the past and autumn now well and truly on the horizon, that unfortunately only means one thing… it’s spider season.

According to experts, the giant “hand-sized” house spider is gearing up to rear it’s ugly head in households across the UK as it searches for somewhere warm to escape the harsh outdoor conditions.

Oh, and it’s also looking for a mate too, and has been described as “sex-crazed” – great.

In what’s bound to be bad news for Greater Manchester’s arachnophobes, it’s been confirmed that around the first or second week in September, there’ll be a rise in the number of large, male spiders wandering through homes, and females will tend to stay in places like underneath windowsills and webs. 

Of the 650 species of spider in the UK, most are too small to be able to bite, but the Tegenaria Domestica and Eratigena Atrica – which are also known as the giant house spider – are “generally quite large”.

According to The Wildlife Trusts, it typically has a leg span of up to 7.5cm, can run up to half a metre per second, and can be identified by its dark, hairy body and long legs.

So, what are some of the best ways to deter spiders from your home then? It’s not the easiest task, but Lucy Askew, who is a spokesperson for Hillary’s, has shared her six top tips on how to keep them at bay this autumn and winter:

1. Put conkers in the corners of your rooms.
2. Create your own natural spider deterrents using citrus juice, essential oils, and vinegar.
3. Seal the cracks in your home – especially near windows.
4. Keep your windows closed at night.
5. Maintain / keep on top of your cleaning routine.
6. Turn off your outside lights.

Professor Adam Hart, who is an Entomologist at the University of Gloucestershire, said that we don’t really need to worry though, as UK house spiders are relatively “harmless”.

He continued: “There’s nearly always a way to get in the house, they can also come in through things like towels that are left outside. Keeping your house tidy and keeping clothes off the floor may reduce places for them to hide, but it’s very difficult to keep them out.”

Read more:

• People keen to tackle their phobias wanted for new Channel 4 show
• 63% of people in Manchester don’t feel comfortable using the word clitoris
• Neighbours in Manchester named some of the ‘nosiest’ in the UK

Whilst he did state that this is the typical time for spider mating season, he added that it won’t stick around for long, and should come to end at the start of October.

Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons