“Just wave as they go by”; Experts offer tips for ‘spider season’

It’s the unofficial start of “spider season” across Washington.

Experts say this is the time of year we start to see more giant house spiders, the kind you find inside, and cross orb weavers, which are the spiders that often create webs in your yard.

This is mating season for giant house spiders, which explains why you might see some scurrying across your floor.

“They leave their webs and start running around looking for mates,” said Rod Crawford, Curator of Arachnids at The Burke Museum. “If you wanted to be a little colloquial, you might say they’re cruising for chicks.”

Crawford said this species is harmless, and you shouldn’t be afraid of them.

“They’re so docile you can let them crawl around on your hands for many minutes at a time,” he said. “Nothing will happen.”

Still, exterminators say this is the time of year when spider calls go up.

“A lot of them have probably been there,” said Ray Williamson, General Manager at Paratex, a pest control company. “You just haven’t seen them. More of them are outside. In the summer, there’s a lot to eat outside.”

Williamson said he sees the worst spider problems in buildings with more gaps and holes where spiders can get in.

“If the ductwork is not right, window frames are not secure, the garage door doesn’t close,” he said.

To get rid of spiders, Williamson said you can use a pest control company or buy defense products at most retail stores.

“No matter if you use a professional or do it yourself, you’re not going to get 100%,” Williamson said. “You’ll always see them.”

So, next time you see one, what should you do with it?

“Killing an individual isn’t going to do much of anything, one way or the other,” Crawford said. “There’s a population in and under your building, of several hundred.”

Taking the spider outside might not be the answer either.

“You could search for that particular species all over your yard from now until doomsday and never find one,” Crawford said. “They’re house spiders. So, my advice is just wave as they go by.”

Mating season should be over soon, so Crawford urges patience in the meantime. When it’s over, you’ll see less of them, whether you take any action or not.

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