As the weather gets colder and wetter, spiders will start to look for places to shelter and stay warm – and that could mean inside your home.
Adhering to two simple window rules could help keep spiders out of your home as their mating season begins. These straightforward steps can reduce the number of arachnids that make their way indoors.
As August comes to an end and September arrives, temperatures begin to fall and conditions become increasingly damp. Throughout this time of year, spiders start looking for warmer, drier spaces within buildings as autumnal conditions and their natural instincts take control – including finding a mate to breed with.
This period also aligns with their breeding cycle, when male spiders follow females into properties. Thankfully, for those who aren’t fond of these eight-legged intruders, there are steps you can take to keep them away from your home.
As reported by Chronicle Live, the team of specialists at Pest UK has revealed two key principles that can help ward off these creepy crawlies. A spokesperson explained: “As the days shorten and the weather gets colder and wetter, autumn marks the start of spider season in the UK.
“It’s at this time of year that spiders are looking for places to shelter and stay warm. That might mean inside your home.” In their detailed guide featuring 10 suggestions for keeping your house spider-free, they highlighted two essential window practices.
These include:
- Keeping your windows closed at night.
- Sealing any gaps around your windows.
They added: “Keep windows shut at night – Most spiders are nocturnal, so keep windows and doors closed while you sleep to prevent them from getting into your home at night. Fill gaps – Check that there are no gaps or cracks – even tiny ones – in walls, pipework, doors, door frames, and windows. Seal or fill any cracks to prevent spiders from moving into them.”
You might also want to consider employing particular fragrances throughout your property to ward off spiders. Pest UK has indicated that spiders dislike “strong smells”.
The following scents could prove helpful:
- Citrus – including lemon, lime, oranges
- Eucalyptus
- Tea tree
- Peppermint
- Vinegar
They additionally observed: “Vinegar is another strong scent to help repel spiders, but most people aren’t too keen on vinegar lingering around their homes. Rub or spray around window sills and doors with these scents to help prevent spiders from entering.”