There are better ways to get them out the house
Spiders have been making their appearance in UK homes as mating season begins but arachnophobes have been warned against reaching for the hoover.
In September and October, the eight-legged creatures come inside to escape the weather and find a mate, meaning they can often be seen breaking cover and scurrying across the room.
Though it’s tempting to grab the hoover to get rid of them, spiders are an integral part of our ecosystem.
They help control the population of other insects that invade our homes, such as flies and although their appearance is frightening, spiders in the UK pose no threat to humans.
If a spider gets sucked into a hoover, it will more than likely die either from the trauma or, if they make it into the main chamber, of thirst.
The most humane way to remove a spider from your home is to get a glass and a piece of paper to capture them and set them free outside.
There are also lots of long-reaching gadgets available to purchase to help catch spiders if you are afraid to get too close to them.
Advise has also been issued on how to stop spiders from entering in the first place like keeping windows and doors shut.
There are also a number of household items that deter the creepy crawlies.
Spiders have sensory organs on their legs that allow them to smell and taste.
They hate the smell of a number of things that humans often quite like the scent of such as citrus, peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus and cinnamon.
Experts recommend spraying these scents around the common access points for spiders such as on windowsills and cracks in skirting boards.
Recently, it was reported that spiders that can grow as large as rats have been reintroduced into their natural habitat across the UK thanks to a successful breeding programme at Chester Zoo.
The Fen Raft Spider was on the verge of extinction in the UK just 15 years ago, but now – thanks to the hard work of conservationists – up to 3,750 breeding females have been recorded at 12 sites in Norfolk alone.
They mainly live in wetland areas and are still considered rare so the likelihood of you coming across one is slim.
