Experts explain reason for homes being overrun with spiders during September

A new service has been launched

Arachnophobes look away now. Spider season is upon us and experts at Checkatrade are warning that Brits should prepare for more encounters with our eight-legged residents this month.

To help anyone who’s scared of our creepy-crawly friends, instant home improvement booking service, Checkatrade Express, has launched a ’Spiders Out Squad’ (SOS) service. Consumers can book a local, vetted, tradesperson to handle the eight-legged eviction for them. Whether it’s the odd stray spider or a full-on takeover, there’s now a way to deal with it without lifting a finger or a shoe.

With the onset of autumn, adult male house spiders become increasingly active in their search for a mate. Giant house spiders can have a leg span of 10cm, while the cardinal spider, another house-dwelling species, can have a leg span of a whopping 12cm. For anyone of a nervous disposition, the idea of tangling with a palm-sized spider is unthinkable.

Why do spiders suddenly appear?

Late summer and early autumn are when adult male house spiders become much more active as they search for females. This wandering behaviour makes them far more visible to humans and increases the chances of them accidentally finding their way indoors. So while it may feel like Britain has suddenly been invaded by giant spiders, there may simply be more of them out and about where people can see them.

Professor Sara Goodacre, professor of evolutionary biology and genetics at the University of Nottingham, said: “September is naturally the time of year when house spiders become much more noticeable, but it’s not necessarily because there are suddenly more of them. Adult males are reaching maturity and setting out in search of a mate, which means they spend far more time wandering rather than remaining hidden in their webs.

“That wandering behaviour brings them into contact with people more often – and sometimes leads them indoors. We’re seeing more of the spiders that were already there, at the point in their lifecycle when they are most active and conspicuous, so it definitely makes sense that Britons are starting to see more and more of our creepy-crawly companions.”

Too scared to catch one?

While for some people, catching and releasing a house spider may be a fairly routine activity, for others, it is terrifying. More than a fifth of Brits (21%) suffer from arachnophobia (26% of women and 16% of men) according to YouGov figures.

And it’s no joke – leading to panic attacks, increasing pulse and breathing rate, sweats and shakes and feelings of dizziness and sickness.

Checkatrade-approved pest control expert, Rron Aliu, of The Pest Solutions, said: “September and the Autumn months can be a daunting time for anyone who isn’t a fan of spiders. While seeing a large spider running across the floor can certainly be alarming, it’s important to remember that this is normal seasonal behaviour.

“They typically come indoors looking for shelter, food or a mate, which is why this time of year makes them more noticeable. They’re not out to get us- and, as the saying goes, they are far more afraid of you than you are of them.

“Keeping rooms tidy and sealing gaps around doors and windows can help reduce the number that make their way inside. If you’re comfortable doing so, the kindest option is to catch the spider carefully and release it outside – reaching for the vacuum cleaner might be tempting, but they can survive and escape.

“But if the thought of getting anywhere near one fills you with dread, there’s absolutely no shame in calling for help.”