Spooky Spiders in your bath this Halloween? by Hetti Sansom

Have you found a spider in the bath lately? It is most likely be a male house spider (Tegenaria domestica) looking for a mate, he'll have found his way in through an open window or door but found himself accidentally falling in the bath and unable to climb back out!

As the weather and nights get colder and winter draws near spiders are joining us indoors in search of warmth and mates. During the warmer months they can be found almost anywhere in your garden, including under log piles and the shed. They can also be brought in accidentally on firewood, or anything we bring in from outside. We might consider ourselves lucky in Cumbria, as most of the UK’s house spiders are more abundant in the South.


Once a male has found the female’s web, he will stay there with her for weeks, during which time he'll mate with her several times before eventually dying. Despite common belief, the female house spider does not kill the male, but she eats him once he is dead. This may sound horrible, but this way the male can contribute to the health of his offspring even after his death.

Image by Hetti Sansom

You can tell the difference between the two genders fairly easily, the females are bigger than the males but with shorter legs in relation to the size of the body. They are usually dark in colour sometimes in varying shades of brown.

Another species of house spider is the Tegenaria duellica which is also found throughout the UK and all year round. But expect to see more of them during this time of year! They will help out whilst staying in your house by eating flies, mites and other small insects. Even if your house is insect free, spiders can survive for several months without food or water!

There is one particular species of house spider which is known to bite humans with little provocation. It is often referred to as the 'aggressive house spider' for this reason. But don't panic yet, as this species prefers your garden shed to your bathroom.


The best way to remove spiders from your house is the glass and paper method, simply place a glass over the spider and gently slide a piece of paper underneath, once caught you can place them back in the garden. Or alternatively, you can leave them to share your bathroom this autumn and winter while it's cold outside!


To find out more about Cumbria Wildlife Trust visit our website at www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk