Why your house is teeming with spiders: Horrified Brits say their homes are crawling with eight-legged critters - here's what's behind the invasion

With Halloween almost here, it feels quite appropriate that spiders have swarmed houses across the UK. Taking to TikTok, several terrified homeowners have revealed how their homes are crawling with eight–legged critters. 'The size of spiders in the UK NEED to be studied ASAP – this is horrific,' one user said alongside footage of an enormous arachnid. Another posted a video of dozens of tiny spiders crawling across their ceiling, asking: 'NAHHHH SPIDER INVASION, WHAT DO I DO??'Now, the experts at Which? have revealed what's behind the invasion – and what you can do to keep your house spider–free. 'Autumn is the time of year when you're most likely to spot a spider scuttling across your skirting board or lurking in the corner of a room,' the consumer champion explained.'And while we might prefer them to stay outside, most household spiders are harmless to humans – and would rather keep their distance from us, too.'Taking to TikTok, several terrified homeowners have revealed how their homes are crawling with eight–legged crittersWhile you might assume that spiders come into homes in autumn to escape the cold, surprisingly this isn't the case. Instead, you may notice more spiders because autumn is their primary mating season. Here in the UK, there are over 650 species of spider, although thankfully only a handful are harmful to humans. Some of the most common spiders include large house spiders, common house spiders, and cellar spiders. You may also spot missing–sector orb weavers, laceweb spiders, and garden spiders – as well as the dreaded noble false widow, which has been known to inflict nasty bites. 'Bites can be painful and occasionally require medical attention, but the likelihood of being bitten is low,' said Niall Gallagher of the British Pest Control Association. If you do spot a spider, don't panic. To remove it humanely, all you need is a glass or container, and stiff piece of card'Avoid handling them or trapping them against your skin.' A quick search online reveals several supposed spider detterents, from conkers on windowsills to peppermint sprays. Unfortunately, most of these have no convincing scientific evidence to back them up, according to Which?. 'I wouldn't rely on conkers to deter spiders,' said Mr Gallagher. 'Current research doesn't establish that putting conkers on windowsills keeps homes spider–free and a row of conkers isn't a substitute for sealing gaps in your home.'Mint oil was shown to repel some spider species in a 2018 study, but responses varied.'That doesn't establish that peppermint plants or homemade sprays will definitely keep spiders out of your home.' Before you lose all hope, Which? reassures that there are several simple things you can do to make your home less inviting to spiders this autumn. Declutter and vacuum regularly, and make sure to fill gaps and cracks around pipework, calls, windows and doors, the consumer champion advises. It's also worth keeping an eye on any other insects in your home, as these could entice spiders looking for a tasty snack. Which? explained: 'Spiders are more likely to stick around where food is plentiful, so keep kitchen surfaces clean, store food in sealed containers and empty kitchen bins and food waste caddies regularly to deter insects.'In addition, the experts advise trimming any outdoor vegetaion that touches your exterior walls or windows, as these can provide spiders with an easy route in. If you do spot a spider in your home, don't panic.To remove it humanely, all you need is a glass or container, and stiff piece of card. 'Place the container over the spider, then slowly slide a stiff piece of card underneath, taking care not to trap its legs,' Mr Gallagher said. 'Keep the card against the opening while you carry it. Avoid picking it up with your bare hands.' ARACHNOPHOBIA IS IN OUR DNARecent research has claimed that a fear of spiders is a survival trait written into our DNA.Dating back hundreds of thousands of years, the instinct to avoid arachnids developed as an evolutionary response to a dangerous threat, the academics suggest.It could mean that arachnophobia, one of the most crippling of phobias, represents a finely tuned survival instinct.And it could date back to early human evolution in Africa, where spiders with very strong venom have existed millions of years ago.Study leader Joshua New, of Columbia University in New York, said: 'A number of spider species with potent, vertebrate specific venoms populated Africa long before hominoids and have co-existed there for tens of millions of years.'Humans were at perennial, unpredictable and significant risk of encountering highly venomous spiders in their ancestral environments.'