8 Facts About the Common House Spider

You might not want to think about it, but if you have a house, there are probably spiders in it. Whether they are weaving webs in the your window frames or hiding out in your garage, your home is an inviting habitat for them. Though it’s unsettling to have them in your house, spiders are not harmful to us. Here are 8 facts about the common house spider.

1. They’re Experts In Pest Control

Before you whack that spider with your rolled up newspaper, consider this. It’s probably keeping the numbers of other bugs in your home under control. From those pesky flies to the moths that get in and munch on your clothes, spiders will feast on them.

2. Spiders Protect the Planet

They might just seem like creepy crawlies to you, but by eating certain pests, spiders are saving the planet. Yes, even the common house spider. Some of the pests they eat like aphids and beetles can destroy plants and other crops which can lead to food shortages and famine.

3. Spiders Existed Before Dinosaurs

This is a fun fact for a pub quiz. Estimates say that spiders evolved around 300-400 million years ago, before dinosaurs. Spiders have adapted to living in harsh conditions with predators to think about. That’s as well as worrying about us hitting or squashing them!

4. It’s Not Always Good to Put a Spider Outside

The common house spider has adapted to living in a warm cosy house. You might think you’re being kind by putting a spider outside instead of killing it, however, a house spider might not survive outside in far harsher conditions.

5. Spiders Don’t Tend to Get Inside Your House Via Your Plumbing

So you ever see a spider in the bath or sink and think maybe it crawled up through the plughole? That doesn’t tend to happen because modern drains have features that would stop a spider getting through. If you see a common house spider in your bath or sink, it probably just climbed down the wall while it was looking for water.

6. The Common House Spider isn’t Dangerous

Many people have a deep-rooted fear of spiders. One reason for this is that people fear their bite. The truth is that spiders rarely bite people unless they feel threatened. Even then, their bites do not usually inflict enough damage to cause a problem.

7. The Female of the Species are Larger

Female house spiders are about 8 to 12 mm in size, while males are slightly smaller at 6-9 mm. Females can lay up to 2000 eggs in their lifetime.

8. You Can Control Spiders Humanely

Rather than whacking them with a magazine or hoovering them up (admit it), you can control spiders humanely. Try removing cobwebs from windows and eaves. This won’t get rid of them completely, but it might force them to go elsewhere.

Sealing up potential entry points like gaps and cracks around windows and pipes can stop spiders from getting in to your home. It will also stop other insects from getting in and so will reduce potential food sources for spiders.

How Can I Control Common House Spiders?

Forget conkers and essential oils. If you have the odd common house spider in your home, we’d recommend just letting it be.

However, if there’s an unsettling number of spiders in and around your home, call in professional pest control. Contego’s expert technicians have access to professional products as well as the knowhow and experience to get rid of a creepy crawly problem for good.

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