HOW TO KEEP SPIDERS OUT OF YOUR HOUSE IN AUTUMN

Spiders. Shudder. While we do appreciate that spiders are a truly vital part of our ecosystem, it’s much more comfortable all round when they stay in their own space, which in our opinion is very much outside the house.

It is, however, that time of year when suddenly spiders are small and large (oh lordy, those really big brown ones with the super-scuttle run? Just why?!) start magically appearing all over the house. So, if we want to reduce the number of evenings where our Netflix binge is interrupted by screams as an eight-legged invader marches across the rug right before our eyes, now’s the time to look into ways to stop spiders coming into the house.

Why do spiders come into the house? Well, right now it’s spider mating season. Yep, that’s a thing. Spiders don’t actually proactively come in the house for the mating season, and they’re also not looking for a warm place as the cooler weather kicks in, it’s likely they’ve been there for some time, entering through the windows and doors we’ve been happily leaving open all summer, but now they’re mooching about looking for Mr or Mrs Spider with whom to start a family, so they’re suddenly more visible.

The spiders who do come in the house are coming in for dinner – they eat the other insects that find their way in, many of which we never spot. If you look at it that way, house spiders act as a free of charge pest control and the size of the spiders depends on how much they have eaten. So seeing big ones just means they are doing their jobs right. Nice.

The truth, says The Natural History Museum, is that few spiders are able to comfortably live in modern centrally-heated homes. The majority would prefer to be helped back outside where they live in garages and sheds or around the outsides of homes and in gardens. And no, they don’t have a homing instinct and won’t make their way back in if you choose to relocate outside, rather than down the loo.

So, how do we keep spiders outside the house? Here are our six top tips on spider incursion prevention. They won’t stop the ones already in (cue creepy music) but they may well, if you do this year round, stop more coming in.

Window netting: having window netting up doesn’t only prevent spiders from getting in, but also flying beasts such as wasps and flies. They’re maybe a bit full-on, however, and unless you’re particularly plagued by mosquitos (unlikely, in Manchester) are best avoided.

Seal gaps: spiders can squeeze through the tiniest of space. Check around windows, door frames, skirting boards, floorboards and soffits. Sealing these gaps will also help with insulating your property from tiny drafts.

Lavender: apparently, spiders can’t stand lavender and won’t want to be near the smell. We remain unconvinced, but there’s nothing to lose as dabbing lavender essential oil in the entrances and windows of your home will fill the air with a calming fragrance, which might help when you spot one of the little brown beasties who got past it.

Mint: Who knew spiders have noses? It’s actually true that spiders dislike the smell of mint. In 2017 the Journal of Economic Entomology published findings that peppermint oil deters spiders. During the study, two spider species (of three tested) avoided entering areas sprayed with this oil 75 percent of the time. It’s clearly not completely a sure thing, but it’s definitely a good place to start. Fill a spray bottle with water, add 10 drops of peppermint oil and a drop of washing up liquid (to help the two combine) and spray around your window and doors. Even if it doesn’t upset the spiders, it will add a fresh zing to your home.

White vinegar: something else spiders can’t bear the smell of, apparently, is white vinegar. A mix of white vinegar and water is a great way to lift any smell hanging around a room – from the dog basket or your teen’s trainers, for example, so spraying it into the corners around windows and doors is another winwin.

Keep dusting: treat yourself to a long-handled feather duster and keep those ceiling corners clean and clear. When vacuuming, use a small tube to get right into the corners of your rooms, and into all the window frames. Open the windows and clean away any dust and cobwebs that have gathered in the frames or just outside, and then spray with a mix of water and lavender or peppermint oil.

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