Massachusetts Homes Are a Perfect Fit For Wintering Spiders

The season's first frost is just around the corner and that means an end to creepy bugs and arthropods, more commonly known as spiders, right?

Ah, not quite.

Many bugs and insects, such as flies and mosquitos, are about to disappear for a while, but not necessarily the spiders. It is the time of year when spiders head indoors, if possible, to keep warm and do spider-like things all winter.

Fox Pest Control says during the winter months, "multiple spider species enter households throughout the Eastern Massachusetts area, hide under crawl spaces, basements or attics, cause painful spider bites, and create annoying spider webs."

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According to WorldAtlast.com, "There are approximately 50,000 species of spiders crawling about this planet." The site says, "Recent findings suggest that some spiders (specifically, jumping spiders) do, in fact, sleep, and strange as it sounds, they may even dream while doing so."

Let's hope they don't sleepwalk.

Fox Pest Control says you may encounter many venomous and non-venomous spiders in your home in Eastern Massachusetts during the winter. They include Yellow Sac Spiders (venomous), Wolf Spiders (venomous), Funnel Web Spiders (venomous), American House Spiders (venomous), and Cellar Spiders (not venomous).

Ways to discourage spiders from setting up shop in your home this winter include, cleaning, denying spiders a food source by turning off outside lights, covering food, sealing entries and clearing away hiding places.

Fox Pest Control says spraying potential spider hiding places with water, vinegar, peppermint, and boric acid are just some ways to rid your home of spiders this winter.

Spiders have eight legs and most have eight eyes that never close – even when they are asleep. Spiders are most likely to be active at night.