As the fall season quickly approaches, many of us may feel a shift in how we want to approach our living spaces. With summer ending, fall can often push us to get things in shape and want a refresh—particularly around organization.
12.08.2024 - 23:53 / southernliving.com / Arricca Elin SanSone
Outdoor spiders are hard at work, devouring home and garden pests such as ants, flies, mosquitoes, aphids, and thrips. It’s estimated they kill 400 to 800 million metric tons of prey worldwide annually.“They’re generalist feeders,” says Angela Chuang, a postdoctoral research associate at the Citrus Research and Education Center at the University of Florida. “If they can capture it and it’s small enough for them to handle safely, they’ll eat it.”
Unlikemosquitoes andflies that can carry diseases, most spiders rarely transmit communicable diseases to humans. They’re generally shy and would rather hide out than interact with us. But with 3,400 species in North America, sooner or later one will end up in your home.“If there’s a point of entry, they may wander inside,” says Elmer Gray, entomologist and researcher at the University of Georgia. “When you find them indoors, they’re likely looking for a meal or a mate.”
Besides the occasional random spider that scuttles indoors, some spiders can live in out-of-the-way spots in your home, such as along ceilings or in basements and behind clutter. “The most important thing to remember is that spiders will live indoors if there’s a source of food,” says Chuang. If the food—ants,termites, cockroaches or whatever—are eliminated, spiders will find somewhere else to live.
Read on to learn how to keep spiders away, including the best natural ways to keep spiders out of your house:
Related:How to Keep Flies Away from Your House
What Kinds Of Spiders Get Indoors?Common types of spiders
As the fall season quickly approaches, many of us may feel a shift in how we want to approach our living spaces. With summer ending, fall can often push us to get things in shape and want a refresh—particularly around organization.
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