Spiders can be a nuisance. But most of them don’t really pose a real threat to you and your family because they can’t inject enough venom to cause any real harm. And they do a lot of good, such as catch flies and other bugs. But this doesn’t mean that it’s okay if you have loads of spiders in your house. Spider bites can still be painful and spider webs can be a big annoyance — especially if you are really house proud. But why are there so many spiders in your house?
Reasons why you have so many spiders in your house
1. Spiders produce a lot of offspring
There are thousands of spider species out there, but some of them are more likely to infest your home. One of the most common ones is known as the common house spider, as its name suggests. Female common house spiders produce several egg sacs a year, with each egg sac having the capability to house about 400 spider eggs.
This means that even a few common house spiders can turn into a severe spider infestation. There may be many spiders in your house simply because spiders produce a lot of offspring.
2. Spiders have easy access to your house
A common reason behind a spider infestation is easy access to your house. Doors and windows that are always open are common culprits. But the passageways are not always so simple. Passageways can come in many forms, including the cracks and holes in your walls and even the gaps between your closed doors and windows.
To avoid spider infestations, keep doors and windows closed and fix and seal all structural damages around your house.
3. You have gaps between your doors and windows
Spiders can still get through even if your doors and windows are closed. This is because there are still small gaps between your doors and windows. Remember that spiders are small creatures, with the common house spider being less than a quarter of an inch. They can squeeze through the smallest of gaps.
To prevent this from happening, put weatherstrips on the edges of your doors and windows and install window screens.
4. You have tree branches touching your windows
You have many spiders in your house because there may be a bridge between your house and the outside world. The spiders are using this bridge to get in and out of your house. Tree branches are some of the most common bridges. Tree branches are very effective in connecting your house and the outside world. You don’t think about them very much even if they are already touching your roofs or windows.
Trim shrubberies and tree branches, so they don’t touch your house.
5. Your house’s exterior is not well-maintained
Sure, shrubberies and tree branches can serve as a bridge between your house and your house’s exterior. But why do you have spiders in your house’s exterior in the first place? Your garden, lawn, and yard can house spiders. That’s why.
Spiders like undisturbed and secluded places — both inside and outside of your house. They also like places that are near the ground. If your house’s exterior is not maintained, it’s bound to attract these pests.
6. Your house’s interior is unkempt
A clean house is less likely to attract spiders. This is because a clean house doesn’t have the two primary spider attractors — food and shelter. If you clean up immediately after eating and don’t leave crumbs and residue around your house, spiders won’t have anything to eat. These food sources attract other insects too, and those insects can be eaten by spiders as well.
If you clean even the inaccessible corners of your house and the often-ignored sides of your furniture, spiders won’t have a place to nest.
But take note that a clean house is not always free of pests. For instance, a clean house can still have cockroaches in it simply because of the availability of other attractors like exposed food. But still, cleaning your house can help keep pests away.
7. Spiders like your house’s controlled temperature
You control the temperature of your house to make yourself comfortable. But here’s the thing — you are not the only one finding comfort on your property. If it’s too cold outside, spiders can try to get inside your house to find warmth. And if it’s too hot outside, spiders can get inside to cool off.
The dampness and dryness of your house can be a factor too. There are some spiders who prefer damp areas, like cellar spiders. And there are others who prefer dry areas, like black widows. If they can find these attributes in your house, they will be there.
This just emphasizes the need to make your house inaccessible from the outside world. Strengthen those doors and windows and seal those wall cracks immediately.
8. You have brought hitchhiking spiders yourself
You may have brought the spiders inside your house yourself. Spiders can be hitchhikers, meaning they can get to your stuff. Once you put your stuff inside your house, they can escape and start an infestation in your house. You may find hitchhiking spiders in your camping equipment and firewood. You may also find them in more innocent items like stuffed toys and vegetables.
Spiders are not the only hitchhiking pests out there. In fact, hitchhiking is a very common way to get pest infestations in your house. Bed bugs, for example, can hitch a ride from your travel luggage to your house.
9. You have spiders in your house because there are other pests there as well
You may have many spiders in your house simply because they can find a constant supply of food there. Spiders eat insects. If they like staying in your house, it can mean that they are consistently finding other insects somewhere on your property.
Sure, spiders are most of the time just nuisance pests. But can you say the same for the other insects that they find in your house? If you find many spiders in your house, consider calling pest control professionals. They will be able to diagnose your spider problem properly and propose a solution. They can also find out if there are other more potentially dangerous and destructive pests nearby.
Currently, I am dealing with this problem, and I am very frustrated because of it. I found two small spiders yesterday near my fridge and up in the ceiling of my room, despite spraying the chemical solution everywhere. Therefore, I was searching online to get some tips to control spider infestation and came to find your blog. Thank you for sharing this blog with us. I will follow your tips and see whether it works for me or not.
Hi Manoj,
Thanks for the comment. It may be worth you reading our recently published article: ‘Things That Attract Spiders to Your House’ and you can read it here: https://www.dealwithpests.com/things-that-attract-spiders-to-your-house/
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Deal With Pests
I do not mind spiders in my home, there is a saying (if you wish to live and thrive let a spider run alive) so I do.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for posting. I love that old saying and in our articles on spiders, we always stress how useful spiders are within ecosystems as they catch flies and other bugs. But if you are suffering from severe arachnophobia people may have no choice but to remove them from your home. But you can remove or deter spiders without killing them and this is what we at Deal with Pests advocate.
I hope this makes sense.
Thanks again for your comment.
Best wishes,
Deal With Pests