EUR24,58
tesa Insect screen COMFORT for windows, with Velcro tape, self-adhesive, without drilling
130 x 150 cm
How to stop spiders coming into your home
23/10/2024
Translation: Katherine Martin
In the rainy autumn season, cosy living rooms are the place to be. And spiders are just as keen on them as we are. If you don’t want these eight-legged beasties crawling under the blanket with you, you’d better take a look at these tips.
I actually like spiders. As a kid, I used to feed flies to the yellow-striped wasp spiders in our garden. Even today, I don’t mind having the occasional little eight-legged lodger take up residence on my ceiling. But recently, one critter gave me a serious case of the heebie-jeebies. When my husband discovered this magnificent specimen in the bedroom, it simply HAD to go:
Source: Darina Schweizer
We’re not the only ones with web-weaving houseguests this autumn. In many places right now, spiders are crawling their way into warm buildings. They’re often quite impressive specimens too; one example being the Nosferatu spider (article in German), which can grow up to eight centimetres. Also known as the false wolf spider, it has a distinctive skull and crossbones pattern. Originally from the Mediterranean region, it’s proliferating in Switzerland due to climate change (article in German). According to spider researcher Christian Kropf, these hairy critters’ favourite places to hang out are dark bathrooms and bedrooms. Oh, and (if you’re squeamish, look away now) clothing.
Thankfully, Nosferatu spiders aren’t dangerous. According to spider expert Ambros Hänggi, their bite is initially painful, but later comparable to a mosquito bite. Still, they don’t make the most pleasant roommates. Here’s how to keep them at arm’s length.
How to prevent spiders from coming in
Fly screens are easy to fit and useful for stopping other creepy-crawlies from getting into your home too. There are models you can easily install yourself, as well as covers for lightwells.
Fly screens
EUR24,58
tesa Insect screen COMFORT for windows, with Velcro tape, self-adhesive, without drilling
130 x 150 cm
Are there areas of your home that aren’t completely sealed? I’m talking basement- or outside doors. If so, there’s a simple solution: self-adhesive rubber seals. You should also seal cracks and crevices in the masonry.
The cleaner your home is, the less comfortable spiders will feel being there. So clean regularly, take out your organic waste and get pests such as fruit flies under control. That way, there won’t be any incentive for spiders to move in.
Ultrasonic sound’s also said to be effective against spiders. However, Galaxus customers have given its effectiveness a mixed reaction.
Scents only have limited usefulness in keeping spiders at bay. Studies have shown that most essential oils have no significant impact on them. The one backed by the most plausible evidence of a spider-repellent effect is peppermint oil.
How to get spiders out
If the spider’s already found a way in and you’re too freaked out to get close enough to catch it, you might want to buy an insect catcher. Using a slider on the top, you can open a flap at the bottom of the contraption to trap the spider.
Bug sprays work on spiders too. That being said, you should try to avoid using them, as they’re also harmful to other living creatures. They can actually be poisonous or even fatal to pets. Some of them also accumulate in the environment, making them harmful to humans. But by this point in the article, you’ve got plenty of alternatives to choose from.
And no, as my boss Martin explains in the article below, the deadly killing machine that is a vacuum cleaner isn’t an option:
Which spiders have you seen in your home? Send me a photo at darina.schweizer@digitecgalaxus.ch. Yes, I’m aware I’m opening the Pandora’s box of creepy-crawlies by making this request. But hey, it’s Halloween soon.
Header image: Shutterstock/Holger Kirk
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI like anything that has four legs or roots. The books I enjoy let me peer into the abyss of the human psyche. Unlike those wretched mountains that are forever blocking the view – especially of the sea. Lighthouses are a great place for getting some fresh air too, you know?