Giant spiders heading into Derbyshire homes this week looking for mates - how do you keep spiders out of your house and do conkers work against spiders

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Huge spiders are set to be crawling inside houses across Derbyshire this month as the official spider season booms into life.

People afraid of spiders (isn't that all of us?) dread the beginning of September, the official start of ‘Spider Season’.

Spiders head inside houses as the weather starts to turn colder and wetter, looking for a mate in a warm dry home ahead of the winter.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But what can you do to keep eight-legged friends out of sight?

Giant spiders are heading into homes again.Giant spiders are heading into homes again.
Giant spiders are heading into homes again.

Keep your house clean and airy

Spiders love dark, damp, cluttered places. Vacuum and dust regularly, and don't allow clutter to build up. Store things in plastic lidded boxes rather than cardboard ones to prevent spiders gaining access.

Keep your house filled with natural light

Never leave blinds or curtains closed during the day or for prolonged periods of time if you're away from home.

Use essential oils

Spiders 'smell' with their legs, so strong scents will deter them from leaving their nooks and crannies.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tea tree, rose, cinnamon, citrus, peppermint, citronella, lavender and eucalyptus can all work - make sure you spray corners, window sills and skirting boards, and replenish regularly.

Borax

This pest control product is designed to kill ants, but it also works with spiders. Sprinkle it in corners and along door frames to prevent webs.

Seal cracks

Grab your caulking gun and seal up spider access points in walls, floors and ceilings.

Keep foliage away from your house

Don't allow plants next to your home to creep too close, as spiders will hide in them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Similarly, don't allow leaf litter, woodpiles etc to accumulate, as they make great spider hiding places.

Get a cat

A feline will fearlessly chase spiders - although you can't always guarantee a successful outcome!

But don't use conkers!

There's no evidence that they're effective. Other strong aromas are likely to work better, such as garlic or vinegar.

Try Chalk. Spiders taste with their feet - and they don't like chalk. Draw a chalk line around window sills, your bed, or doorways, and many of them won't want to cross it.

Should you kill spiders in your house?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Here are some of the main reasons we should be welcoming spiders with open arms:

1: Spiders are known to eat pests such as flies, moths and other variations.

2: Spiders kill other spiders. They have wars, fights, one-on-one combat that usually last until the death, when the winner will gauge on the loser's corpse.

3: Spiders can help curtail disease, by mopping up pests that enter the house carrying harmful virus'.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

4: Spiders in this country aren't harmful, on the whole. The majority will not bite you and even if they do, the would is very unlikely to become serious.

5: Species of spiders, globally, are on the decrease. Habitats are being destroyed and people keep killing them in the house, meaning numbers are dwindling, making it a good deed to welcome them into your home, as well as a healthy one.

So the next time you see a spider in your home, maybe you'll think twice about the misunderstood 'monsters'.

News you can trust since 1855
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice