Spider season is here: 22 types you're likely to find in your home
Most of the year UK spiders take up residence in our homes and gardens, but tend to stay out of sight (and mind).
However, there are a number of weeks each year when the weather takes a turn, that you might find yourself spotting quite a few eight-legged visitors scurrying around your home.
Thankfully, the vast majority of British spiders found in UK homes are completely harmless to humans, even if they can give us a bit of a fright.
Whether it's in the corner of our living room, in the bath or hanging quietly from the ceiling, read on for the UK spiders you're most likely to spot at home (and some of the most commonly-asked questions about them)...
Why do spiders come into houses?
Much like humans, UK spiders often enter our homes in search of somewhere warm to shelter. And, like all living things, they need water.
Mike Norton, Trade and Projects Director at Magnet Trade, says: "Like all species, spiders need water and moisture to survive. From sinks and dishwashers to the warmth given off from appliances, it's the kitchen and bathroom that create the perfect moist environment to draw them in."
When does spider season occur each year in the UK?
You might notice quite a few spiders as the weather starts to change later in the year. In fact, there is such a thing as "spider season."
According to Hudson Lambert, Pest Expert at NOPE!, "September marks the start of spider season as the weather begins to cool and it sees spiders making their way indoors to mate. You'll usually be able to spot them first thing in the morning and late at night, when they head inside away from the cold weather."
Typically, "spider season usually lasts until mid-October at the earliest," Tap Warehouse's Cleaning Expert, Nancy Emery, says. "And while we can’t always stop them from entering our homes, there are a few natural remedies to deter spiders from coming near you and staying out of certain areas of the home during this time."
Ways to naturally deter spiders
First of all, spiders don't like certain scents, so using these around the bottom of door frames and window sills, where they are most likely to enter and crawl past, can be a great tactic.
Both peppermint oil and tea tree oil have a particularly strong odour that spiders hate. Simply "add 15-20 drops of either to a spray bottle and fill it up with water," Nancy recommends, and get spraying. Vinegar also works in a similar way.
"Other oils that are useful in deterring spiders include those in the citrus family like orange, lemon, lime and citronella," Nancy reveals. "You can buy candles and diffusers that have a citronella scent but spraying the oil solution directly on problem areas is the most effective and affordable deterrent."
Cinnamon sticks and conkers are also thought to keep spiders away, while Hudson also suggests destroying any webs you might find indoors. This is because "spider egg sacs can contain up to 300 spiderlings, with some spiders living up to a year, so it’s important to get rid of webs when you can." By destroying their web, you will essentially cut off their food supply and habitat, meaning that they can’t nest or reproduce.
Why we shouldn't get rid of spiders
While it can be tempting to reach for a glass and a piece of paper at the first sight of a spider in the home, there are a few reasons why you shouldn't get rid of them.
This is largely down to the fact that spiders are an important part of the natural ecosystem and help to control the amount of pests that might make their way into your home – such as moths, mosquitoes fruit and house flies – which can cause holes in our clothing and curtains or even bite us.
So, if you remove all the spiders in your home, you could actually have more issues with pests than the odd spider sighting.
Take a look at the ones you may spot...
22 British spiders you're likely to find at home:
1. Cellar Spiders
One of the most common UK spiders is the Cellar Spider, aka Daddy Long Legs. The thin, spindly spiders have extremely long legs and are often found in corners of the home, particularly during late summer. During the day, this species will stay incredibly still, however, when disturbed, they will vibrate on their web to scare away attackers.
2. False Widow Spider
While these UK spiders aren't usually dangerous to humans, if they get caught in your clothing they might give you a little nip on the skin. These bites don't cause much irritation, but it's always advised to head to your local GP if irritation continues over a prolonged period. Most False Widows are a brownish colour with white markings on their back. When the weather cools down you may notice the eight-legged creatures coming into your home to keep warm.
3. Giant House Spider
The Giant House Spider is one of the fastest spiders, and can impressively run up to half a metre per second. It can be identified by its large, brown body, and will commonly be found in UK homes during autumn. Places to spot them include behind the fireplace, in the bath or under the sofa.
4. Cupboard Spider
Cupboard Spiders got their name because they have adapted to living in our cupboards. They are also known as Dark Comb-Footed Spiders. This spider lives in the UK and abroad. In places home to more venomous spiders, they are often mistaken for the notorious Black Widow.
5. Lace Web Spider
The Lace Web Spider is usually around four to 15mm long and can be spotted living in the holes of walls and bark. These are very common in the UK, so don't be surprised if you find them around your home during autumn and winter, particularly after it has rained. Their web is made from fine silk (which is where their name comes from) and has a woolly texture.
6. Zebra Spider
The Zebra Spider — a type of Jumping Spider — can be identified by its black and white body. This species may be smaller in size compared to others, but they can move very fast (especially when they feel they are being attacked). April and October are when you are most likely to see them.
7. Cardinal Spider
One of the largest spiders in the UK is the Cardinal Spider or the Tegenaria Parietina— which can grow up to 14cm in size. You'll be able to spot this species by its reddish-brown body and find it living mostly in walls of buildings. They're not prone to biting humans but have been known to react with a bite if they feel threatened.
Cardinal Spiders can survive for months without food and got their name from a 14th-century legend claiming that Cardinal Wolsey saw one in Hampton Court Palace and was scared of it.
8. Money Spider
The Money Spider is very small – they're also often known as Sheet Weavers. They can be spotted close to ground level on garden plants, in long grass or around plant pots outside. Around five millimetres in length, they are small compared to others found in the home. You'll be able to identify the spider by its glossy brown body.
9. Orb Weaver Spider
Orb Weaver Spiders are found between July and October, making webs in gardens around the country (and helping to keep the flies out). They are eight millimetres long and get their name from the large orb-shaped web they spin.
10. Buzzing spider
Buzzing Spiders get their name as the male of the species vibrates on leaves to attract mates.
In the UK, these spiders are predominantly found in the South and prefer to hide in shrubbery and trees as opposed to on the ground, where they feel more vulnerable.
11. Cave spider
As the name suggests, you're more likely to find this UK spider in caves as opposed to houses. They like dark places with very little light and can be found all over the country. Cave Spiders are 10mm to 15mm long.
12. Crab Spider
This is another UK spider you are more likely to find outdoors than in your home. The common Crab Spider is most frequently seen from March to August all over the country and their preferred habitat is low-lying vegetation.
When hunting, Crab Spiders jump on their prey's back and pierce them from behind.
13. Cucumber Green Orb Spider
These UK spiders got their name thanks to their green colouring. They can also be identified by a red mark under their abdomen. Found in shrubbery and hedgerows, Cucumber Spiders are most commonly seen in the UK from April to October. They catch prey by waiting for flying insects to fall victim to their orb web.
14. European Garden Spider
Found all over the UK and Europe, as well as North America, the European Garden Spider has many names, including Diadem Spider, Orangie, Cross Spider, Crowned Orb Weaver and the Pumpkin Spider.
15. Four Spot Orb Spider
Distinguishable by the four white spots on their orbs, this is one UK spider species where the females are double the size of the males, at 17mm. This is the UK's heaviest spider and they prefer a habitat of gardens, wooded areas, marshes or long grassland.
16. Green Huntsman Spider
The Huntsman Spider is known for being dangerous in other countries but the UK has its own less harmful version – the Green Huntsman Spider. They are rare, but on occasion, can be found in woodland from May to September. They're most common in South England and Ireland. Their green colouring gives them perfect camouflage.
17. Jumping spider
Jumping Spiders are part of the largest family of spiders in the UK. They have excellent eyesight and use it to help them jump on their prey when hunting. They are mainly identified by their four pairs of eyes. They are also very small.
18. Labyrinth spider
The Labyrinth Spider is most commonly found in Wales and England in hedgerows and long grass. These large spiders are so named because they build sheet webs that lead prey to an intricate labyrinth of tunnels where they can eat in private.
19. Running Crab Spider
The Running Crab Spider is tiny. It's common to find them in Wales and England between April and October.
20. Sector Spider
The Sector Spider (also known as the Missing Sector Orb Weaver or the Silver-Sided Sector Spider) is a UK spider that only lives in houses. They are commonly found hanging in window frames. They are solitary spiders and the female is identifiable by a leaf-like mark on her posterior.
21. Spitting Spider
With long, slender legs, the Spitting Spider has a distinctive 'slow walking' behaviour. Rather than catching its prey in a web, it attacks flies and mosquitoes by spitting a mixture of sticky silk to capture them.
22. Common Fox Spider
Even though the Common Fox Spider (also known as the Wolf Spider) is 'critically endangered' here in the UK, there have still been numerous sightings up and down the country over the years. As active hunters, they use their legs and jaws to immobilise their prey, instead of producing a web and they typically like to burrow in sandy soil or holes under stones.
You Might Also Like
