It may seem that spiders are suddenly coming into your home more during the fall, but that usually is not the case. Typically, the spiders are already in your home, but they have been hiding in dark, quiet places. In the fall, they may become more active. Most spiders are not dangerous to humans, and then can be beneficial by feeding on insect pests. Nevertheless, if the arachnids are making a nuisance of themselves, it may be appropriate to call for professional spider control.

What Do Spiders Do To Prepare for Winter?

How spiders prepare for winter depends on their species. Some species enter a period of dormancy called a diapause that lasts all winter. These spiders look for shelter that keeps them warm and protects them from predators while they are dormant. Examples of places around the home where spiders may look for shelter include piles of leaves or stacks of firewood.

Other species go through a process called cold hardening. As the temperature gradually drops, the spider’s body produces a chemical that gradually builds up and works similarly to antifreeze. Over time, the chemical lowers the temperature needed to freeze the spider’s blood.

Because of these preparations, spiders do not need to seek shelter inside human homes during the winter, as some other animals might. The spiders that you find in your home in the fall were likely already there, just hidden in wall voids and other inaccessible places. Because of the temperature control inside your home, these spiders do not have a chance to go through cold hardening, meaning that if they go outdoors during the winter, either on their own or because you put them there, they will probably die.

Why Are Spiders More Active in the Fall?

For many species of spiders, fall is the mating season. Therefore, spiders in your home that keep a low profile throughout the rest of the year are suddenly more active looking for mates. After they mate, the female lays eggs, usually spinning a sac for protection. The baby spiders usually hatch before winter, in which case either one of two things happens. The spiderlings spin little silk structures that look like parachutes to catch the wind and fly away to find a new home. This process is called ballooning and is one of the reasons why spiders seem more active in the fall. Spiderlings that do not participate in ballooning may hatch from their eggs in the fall but huddle together for warmth inside the egg sac until spring.

Why Do Spiders Seem More Noticeable in the Fall?

Not all spiders mate in the fall. Others mate in spring and have all summer to grow and mature. The spiderlings are very small, making them less noticeable, but they grow very quickly during the summer when food is abundant. By the time fall comes, they have grown to approximately their adult size. At this size, they are likely to be more noticeable and attract more attention from homeowners than they would have as immature spiders, some of which are no bigger than the head of a pin. This is another reason why spiders are more noticeable in the fall; it is not that there are necessarily more of them but that they are bigger and attract more attention by their size.

Why Should You Hire Truly Nolen for Spider Control?

While spiders are generally less harmful than many of the pests they feed upon, an infestation can get out of control quickly. It is at that point that you should call Truly Nolen for pest control in Cambridge to get rid of spiders. Our comprehensive system prevents future infestations in addition to resolving the current one.