House Spiders in Autumn: Why Do You See So Many Right Now?

You're sitting on the sofa in the evening and suddenly a big, hairy spider darts across the floor. Or you find one in the bath in the morning. Every autumn your house seems full of spiders, and with Halloween around the corner they fit the picture perfectly. But why do you see them so often right now, and should you be worried? Pull on your Forest Floor Hoodie, with mushrooms on the forest floor, and find out what's really behind the autumn spiders.

Why do you see more spiders in autumn?

Many people think spiders flee indoors in autumn to escape the cold. That isn't true. According to Koen Van Keer, spider expert and volunteer at Natuurpunt, it "isn't down to the cooler weather and the warmth at home" (VRT NWS). The spiders you see have been living in or around your house all year: in the cellar, in the attic, in the garage or on the outside wall.

The real reason is love. From mid-August to the end of October it's mating season. Adult male house spiders then leave their hiding places and go looking for a female. They wander around, over walls and floors, and that's why you suddenly see them everywhere. According to arachnologist Arnaud Henrard of the AfricaMuseum in Tervuren, an adult male like that has only one goal left: finding a female.

After mating, the males die. The females can live for a few years.

Are there more spiders every year?

No. According to VRT, it's not the case that there are more spiders each year. That's mostly a feeling. The wandering season usually comes to an end in late October, but in mild, dry autumn weather you will still see the odd male in November.

Do spiders come up through the plughole?

A stubborn myth. House spiders don't live in the pipes, nor in the water. According to L'Avenir, the spiders in your bath are usually wandering males that have fallen in. Because of the smooth sides, they can't get back out. Help her outside with a glass and a card (see below).

Are house spiders dangerous?

No. "In Belgium, not a single spider is dangerous to humans," says Professor François Verheggen of the University of Liège (RTBF). A spider is mainly afraid of you and tries to run away.

Belgium has more than 700 species of spider. According to RTBF, only a few can bite through our skin, and they only do so in self-defence, for example if you grab them. A bite leaves at most two small holes. Many "spider bites" are actually mosquito bites.

What about the Nosferatu spider?

You sometimes hear about it in the news: the Nosferatu spider, known in the Netherlands as the "false wolf spider". It's a larger spider from the Mediterranean region, with a pattern on its body that recalls the vampire from the film Nosferatu. It was already reported in Ghent in 2007. It lives mainly in buildings and doesn't spin a web, but hunts. It too only bites if you grab it.

Spiders are useful

Before you reach for the vacuum cleaner: spiders are handy housemates. They catch mosquitoes, flies and other insects. According to an estimate cited by RTBF, the spiders in one hectare of meadow eat around 400 million insects a year. In your house it's far fewer, but every mosquito in a web won't bite you any more. According to Natuurpunt volunteer Koen Van Keer, it's better not to kill a spider.

Would you rather get rid of a spider? Then know that a spider will leave if you keep removing its web.

How to put a spider outside gently

1. Take a glass or a plastic tub and place it over the spider.
2. Slide a card or a sturdy sheet of paper underneath.
3. Put the spider in a corner of the garden, or in the cellar or a storeroom. According to Professor Verheggen, a house spider is often even better off in a room you rarely use than outside in the cold.

That way you don't have to touch the spider, and it survives too.

Spiders outdoors: the garden spider

In the garden in autumn you mostly see the garden spider (cross spider), with a white cross on its abdomen. It hangs its large, round webs between bramble bushes, fences and under gutters. On a misty autumn morning, when there's dew on the threads, those webs are at their most beautiful. On the heath, too, you'll then see dew on the spider webs between the shrubs everywhere. Where to experience those mornings is in our article on the most beautiful heathlands in Belgium. For a walk along the edge of the forest, wear the Still Roots Hoodie, with deep forest textures and earthy tones.

The myth of the eight spiders

You swallow eight spiders a year in your sleep. You've probably heard that one too. It's a myth that has never been proven. Even the story of how that myth supposedly started is probably made up. So you can sleep soundly.

Spiders, Halloween and the dark autumn

Spider webs, black cats, ravens: they belong to Halloween. Want to seek out that spooky atmosphere outdoors too? Then read our article on ravens and crows in Belgium, or put on the Night Watch Hoodie, with an owl that sees everything the night hides. For a cosy evening indoors, with or without a spider in the corner, choose the Pure Ground Hoodie, without a big design and in a pure colour.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I see so many spiders in the house in autumn?

From mid-August to the end of October it's mating season. Adult male house spiders then wander around looking for a female, and that's why you see them more often. They had been in or around your house all year.

Are spiders in Belgian homes dangerous?

No. According to Professor François Verheggen (ULiège), not a single Belgian spider is dangerous to humans. They only bite in self-defence.

Do spiders come up through the plughole in the bath?

No. They are usually wandering males that fall into the bath and can't get out again because of the smooth sides.

For anyone who loves the small things in nature

A web full of dewdrops, a garden spider waiting patiently: even the smallest animals make autumn special. Discover our forest designs in the Forest collection, such as the Deep Timber Sweatshirt with a bear in the ancient forest. Shipping is free across the EU from €45 (otherwise €4.99).