As temperatures dip, spiders are officially beginning their yearly ritual of creeping into our homes.

As the breeding season for the arachnids is fast approaching, they venture inside in order to mate in a comfortable environment. The male spiders venture out in search of female spiders who are still tucked away in their hiding spots.

They are also compelled to come inside around September to escape the harsh, windy weather and to search for food.

The largest spider native to Ireland is the giant house spider who can be quite jarring due to their size and the speed with which they can get around.

This huge eight-legged critter was spotted in Letterkenny by a Donegal Woman reader who said she had never seen one that large, and didn’t know they could even grow that big!

If you’re feeling brave, you can get rid of these critters by getting a glass, placing it over the spider, and gently sliding a piece of paper under the glass (careful not to catch his legs), and evicting him.

Want to prevent these creepy crawlies from getting into your home in the first place? Here’s five things you can do to keep them at bay according to pest control experts Rentokil.

  1. 1.Hoover regularly – and not just your floors! Vacuum places you might expect to find spiders lurking, such as beneath worktops, behind cupboards, and around the back/under large pieces of furniture. Don’t forget about corners, too!
  2. 2.Spot a spider web? Remove it immediately.
  3. 3. If you have gaps around pipework, on walls, and under doors, fill them to stop them coming in.
  4. 4.Remove sheltering sites such as firewood piles, garden bags, compost piles, and general clutter from near your home.
  5. 5.Dim the lights. Insects such as flies, which spiders eat, are attracted to lights – so by dimming them you’re not only making your home less attractive to hungry spiders, you’re also cutting down on your ESB bill.

Other tips include sprinkling peppermint oil around the corners of your house, burning a few cinnamon candles, and even snacking on oranges as spiders despite citrusy scents.

Looks like we’re going to be perpetually hoovering, burning candles, and fumigating the house with minty/citrusy smells from here on out.

 

 

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