Many of us in the UK look forward to cosy nights indoors as the weather gets cooler outside, and for spiders, autumn signals the same change of pace. While they can be seen all year round, the combination of seeking warmth and the increased presence of mating males makes the period from late August to October known as “spider season.”
Most of us will have come across spiders in our homes – maybe creeping across the living room floor, getting stuck in the bath, or simply perched in a corner of the ceiling. Though harmless, not everyone wants to cohabit with these eight-legged fiends, but you, Andrew White, a home expert at Harbour Lifestyle, say you’re probably inviting them in. He said: “Autumn is prime time for spiders hunting a warm hide out – and cluttered corners are their dream home.” It isn’t only bedrooms and studies that turn into webbed retreats.
“When wet and windy weather sets in, entryways are the first to suffer,” Andrew says, as wet coats, muddy boots, and umbrellas pile up and multiply nooks that spiders and their insect prey can exploit.
“The trick? A pre-autumn hallway reset. Critters like spiders prefer to shelter on cluttered surfaces with folds or crevices, like piles of clothes, recycling, or books,” Andrew explains.
Clutter creates warm, stable microclimates and shadowy crevices that feel safe. It also harbours small insects that spiders hunt.
Pholcus phalangioides, commonly known as the cellar spider or daddy long-legs spider, is an established species found throughout the UK, primarily indoors in homes and buildings.
It thrives in corners and ceilings, where disorder gives it uninterrupted space to spin and feed. That’s why Andrew’s practical advice to “declutter and tidy corners, cupboards, and storage areas” is such an effective first step.
In late summer and autumn, mature males leave their webs and roam indoors in search of females, which is why sightings spike in living rooms and bathrooms.
The smartest strategy is prevention over pesticides, and Andrew’s mantra is simple: “Declutter summer items, and add storage baskets, coat hooks, and a sturdy doormat” so wet gear doesn’t become a spider-friendly heap.
If you like gentle deterrents, try a light spritz of eucalyptus or citrus oils around doorframes and skirting boards. If you have pets, dilute well.
Pest UK suggests checking that walls, pipework, doors, door frames, and windows do not have gaps or cracks—even tiny ones. If you find any, seal or fill the cracks to prevent spiders from entering.
On old wives’ tales, the Royal Society of Chemistry has been clear: there is “no evidence that conkers repel spiders”, and similar cupboard tricks rarely stand up to testing.