There is probably a reason that Halloween decor includes all kinds of spiders. Not only are they spooky, but they seem to be very intent on being seen hanging around this time of year. Is there something to that?
It turns out that spiders really do turn up more in the fall. Find out some of the reasons why and how to prevent them before they become your newest Halloween decoration.
Prevention and Elimination
Mating Season
While most people don't think about it, spiders mate just like other creatures. Their mating season coincides with the Halloween season. They primarily mate from September through November, making Halloween the peak of their mating season. Like other creatures, they will become more active during mating season, meaning you will see a lot more spiders in the fall than other seasons, because they are actively seeking a mate. Inside, they will become bolder in moving through your spaces. Outside, you will likely begin to see more webs forming on your home, as many females will build a stable place to wait for a male.
Shelter Seeking
In addition to mating season, it's also the time of year that spiders begin to seek shelter inside structures, as it becomes too cold at night to survive comfortably. Lower temperatures and an increasing lack of food will drive spiders to look for sheltered areas. This could initially begin with areas around the outside of your home: eaves, shutters, and similar areas. They will soon begin to seek shelter inside your home, finding their way in through breaks in door and window seals, open doors and windows without screens or with ripped screens, and cracks in the foundation or crawl space access points.
Growing Season
Spiders have been growing all summer. Initially, they may have been so small they were less visible when viewing them from a distance on your house. Now, having had months to grow, they have become a much more noticeable size. Not only will the spiders themselves grow larger, but the webs they spin will also increase significantly to accommodate the larger size of spider. You'll see not just larger spiders, but more evidence of spiders as webs will cover larger portions of your home.
Prevention and Elimination
There are several things you can do to help prevent spider populations from becoming too comfortable around, or inside, your home.
While removing spiderwebs won't necessarily immediately remove the spider, it may prevent new hatchings, as you may be removing the egg sacs with the webs. Additionally, constant removal of webs will encourage spiders to seek shelter in other areas where webs are not constantly needing to be rebuilt.
To prevent spiders from migrating inside, make sure to seal up any cracks, make sure that screens are secure, and keep un-screened doors and windows closed.
Spiders are looking for food, which means if you decrease or eliminate other insects, spiders will also decline. Using LED lightbulbs for outside lights, especially if you use warm hues, will decrease the flock of insects that are attracted to those lights, thereby decreasing food sources for spiders.
Maintaining a clean home, both interior and exterior, will also help prevent spiders from wanting to become your roommates. Keeping your yard tidy and free of rotting organic material, keeping your trash cleaned up and moved out regularly, and keeping the inside of your home free from clutter and spills will all help keep bug populations at bay.
One of the best ways of keeping all unwanted pests, including spiders, out of your living spaces is by using a professional pest control company. Maintaining a barrier around your home will help prevent spiders from getting inside. Having yard control that runs at least through October, even though we might start seeing a few cold nights in Richmond by then, will prevent spiders both directly with the appropriate chemicals, and indirectly by eliminating other food sources for them.
We'd love to keep those spiders from becoming your Halloween decoration. Give us a call today!
If you want to learn more about insects we have here in the Richmond area, check out our pest library.
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