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    • Why experts say don’t kill them
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    Why experts say don’t kill them

    Pabio Posted on

    Unless you’re an arachnologist, chances are you don’t particularly want to share your living space with these creepy crawlies. But maybe think again about wanting to kill them.

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    • Fall is the time of year when most arachnids reach maturity and full growth, which may explain why you notice them more often in your home.
    • But experts advise leaving them alone. Spiders are predators that keep other, more harmful pests, such as disease-carrying ticks, at bay.
    • Most spiders commonly found inside homes aren’t dangerous, but experts offer plenty of tips for managing their presence without killing them.

    Fall is the time of year when homeowners I might notice more spiders. scurrying onto their kitchen floor and setting up camp by weaving intricate webs in the dark corners of their basements.

    It turns out that as temperatures drop, our homes and the heating they provide are ideal places for eight-legged arachnids to find shelter, seek out mates, and hunt for prey to eat. Of course, unless you’re an arachnologist, chances are you don’t particularly want to share your living space with these creepy crawlies.

    It can be hard to resist the urge to grab the nearest shoe, book, or other flat object to squish any spider you see. But many experts – and even pest control companies – advise homeowners to exercise a little restraint.

    Here’s why you may be noticing more spiders in your home and why you should reconsider killing them.

    It’s the time of year when spiders want to come into your home

    Although spiders are abundant from spring to fall in the United States, experts warn that we may notice more of them inside our homes when temperatures begin to drop and they seek warm spaces to s shelter for the winter.

    Fall is also the time of year when most arachnids reach maturity and reach full growth, which may explain why you notice them more often.

    Our homes are full of window sills and other small crevices in which spiders can hide, while trash cans and compost bins provide an abundant food source for scavenging insects, said Lisa Gonzalez, program manager at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles Countywhich houses the spider pavilion where around 300 spiders of up to 15 species live.

    Additionally, structures like houses provide plenty of strong attachment points for their webs.

    That is to say, our homes are great places for spiders, which means that’s also where they go to breed.

    It is usually in late summer and early fall that male web spinners, hoping to put their newly developed sexual organs to the test, leave their webs in search of mates, declared Anne Danielson-Francois, associate professor of biological sciences at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Female spiders, depending on the species, generally conserve their energy and stay in their spun homes, waiting for males to come to them.

    “They are not necessarily more abundant than in summer, but the individuals are more visible because they are larger,” explains Danielson-François. “A small web may go unnoticed in your kitchen window, but once that spider grows to full size and spins a web that covers a quarter of the window, you can’t miss it.”

    Why experts advise leaving spiders alone in your home

    According to experts, the general rule should be: if the spider doesn’t bother you, don’t bother it.

    “If you can allow an eight-legged roommate, that can benefit you,” Danielson-François said. “And they provide free Halloween decorations for your home, wherever you prefer them – indoors or outdoors.”

    So what is the advantage of a common existence with a creature whose mere sighting inside a house scares many people away?

    This is because spiders are predators that control insect populations. If left alone, spiders fight parasites for free, eating more harmful parasites such as flies, said Allen Lawrance, associate curator of entomology at the Peggy Notebaert Natural Museum located in Chicago and managed by the Chicago Academy of Science.

    Even companies that make a profit from eliminating unwanted pests recommend that homeowners leave spiders alone.

    On its website, Orkin touts benefits of having creepy crawlies around, writing that arachnids can ward off (or feed on) parasites that are actually harmful, like disease-carrying ticks and fleas.

    “Spiders are also extremely beneficial to our ecosystem and control the number of insects that destroy plants and crops. That’s why scientists ask us not to kill them,” Orkin writes.

    In his own messageRomney Pest Control largely agrees, adding that the presence of dangerous spiders like the brown recluse spider, whose bite often requires medical treatment, may require contacting a professional.

    But what if you really don’t want spiders around?

    Arachnologists recognize that many people are afraid of spiders and do not want them around. But there’s no need to burn down your house to get rid of the critters.

    The important thing, however, is to remember that most species of spiders commonly found inside homes – like cobweb spiders and cellar spiders (better known as of “daddy long legs”) – are not dangerous.

    “Although all spiders produce venom to capture and consume their prey, none of them pose a real threat to humans,” Lawrance said.

    While seeing spiders regularly can be a sign of an infestation that requires professional help, a stray spider here or there is nothing to worry about.

    But for those who simply can’t bring themselves to tolerate the presence of spiders, they have a few options recommended by arachnologists and pest control companies:

    • Inspect the perimeter of your home to make sure all cracks are sealed, window screens fit snugly, and there are no gaps under doors;
    • Keep porch lights off at night to avoid attracting insects that spiders feed on;
    • Spray a diluted vinegar solution around houses to keep them away;
    • Keep the interior and exterior of your home clean and tidy, eliminating the webs and dusty environment that spiders prefer;
    • Simply use a cup and a piece of paper to capture and move the spider outside.

    “Don’t feel bad for the spider, it can survive outside just fine,” Danielson-François said. “With substances in their blood that act like antifreeze, some species can overwinter well under tree bark or in leaf litter.”

    Even Gonzalez said she removes widow spiders, whose venom can cause problematic reactions if they bite, from her mailbox and under patio furniture.

    “Any other spiders I see in and around my house,” she said, “are welcome to set up camp.”

    Editor’s note: A version of this story was last published in 2023.

    Eric Lagatta covers the latest news and trends for USA TODAY. Contact him at [email protected]

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