Urban Myth: Spiders Live in Webs

This is the time of year when you’re more likely to spot spiders in your home. You might see them scurrying across the floor or sitting in a web in the corner of a room. But while spiders can be found in webs, they don’t live in them. Spiders build webs mainly to help them trap their prey.

Spiders will spin their web, go away, and come back to collect the tasty flies or other bugs that have gotten trapped.
Where do spiders live in your home?
In the colder months, spiders head indoors to find food, moisture, shelter, and a mate. They get in via gaps and cracks around doors, windows, cables, or pipework. Sometimes they get in via an item you bring into your home.
Once they’re in your home, Spiders like to hide out in undisturbed areas, like inside of old boxes or behind or under furniture that rarely gets moved. You’ll also find them in basements and garages, and anywhere where there’s clutter they can hide in or a source of moisture. Moisture attracts other insects which means more food for spiders.

I only see a few empty webs-does that mean there are no spiders in my home?
Nope. Spiders spin webs pretty quickly and if one web doesn’t appear to be catching enough prey, they’ll leave it behind and build one in another location. Empty webs don’t mean there are no spiders in your home, it probably just means they’ve gone elsewhere.

How to prevent spiders from getting into your home
Read about spiders online, and you’ll see that the odd one here and there in your home is not harmful, in fact, they can be pretty beneficial. They don’t damage property like some other pests (and they often eat the pests that do the damage). They only bite if they feel threatened and most will avoid people. Knowing this will not help if you are terrified of spiders though, we get it, and a spider infestation is most definitely not a nice thing to have in your home!

The best way to stop spiders getting into your home in the first place is to block any entry points, keep your home clean and free from clutter, and control any other insects.
So it’s important to:
• Seal any gaps or cracks around windows, doors, foundations, cables, and pipework;
• Keep your home clean and don’t let clutter pile up-this is a perfect hiding place for spiders;
• Control other insects like moths and flies that attract spiders;
• Try DIY spider control methods and if these don’t work, call in professional pest control. DIY methods usually work fine for the odd spider, but an infestation requires proper treatment. A spider infestation can be a real nuisance (and to be honest, a bit scary!) so don’t hesitate to get the help you need to rid your home of these creepy crawlies.