Important Takeaways:
- It might feel like spider activity is higher in the fall, but their population actually declines as the weather cools and food becomes scarce.
- Despite fewer spiders overall, you’ll spot them more often because many move indoors to find warmth and shelter.
- Spending more time inside during cooler months increases your odds of crossing paths with them.
- Small openings, gaps, and cracks around your home’s exterior make it easy for spiders to slip inside.
If you’ve noticed that spiders suddenly appear everywhere when fall rolls around, you’re not imagining it, there’s a scientific explanation. As temperatures drop and daylight shortens, these changes push spiders to adjust their habits. Most won’t survive the cold, but those that do start searching for secure places to live, often ending up inside homes and businesses.
Seasonal changes trigger a major shift in spider behavior, leading them to abandon summer hiding spots and establish new shelters closer to warmth and food.
Are Spiders Actually More Active in Autumn?
Not necessarily, but you’re far more likely to notice them. Here’s why that happens:
- In spring, spiders are young and small, making them harder to spot even when they’re active.
- Through summer, food is plentiful, so they stay outside near steady insect populations.
- As the weather cools, many species venture indoors to build webs and find protection.
- The larger spiders that live longer are typically the ones you see during fall and winter.
- Web-building species spin larger, more visible webs this time of year as flying insects decline.
What Happens to Spiders When the Temperature Drops?
Cold weather is harsh for spiders, and for the insects they rely on for food. Most won’t survive the new temperatures, but a few species have adaptations that allow them to make it through the winter.
Some spiders undergo a process known as cold hardening, which lets them survive freezing temperatures. They seek shelter in protected spots like leaf piles, beneath bark, inside shrubs, or around the edges of buildings. However, your home’s warmth provides a far more appealing refuge.
Spider activity and survival strategies differ depending on the species. Some lay eggs in fall, while others reproduce in spring. Though freezing conditions can kill spider eggs, their egg sacs often insulate and protect them until temperatures rise again.
Types of Spiders Commonly Seen in Fall
Keeping Spiders From Moving Into Your Home
Since spiders can slip through the tiniest spaces, prevention is important. A few simple maintenance steps can drastically reduce the number that find their way indoors:
- Seal any openings or cracks around foundations, siding, windows, and doors.
- Repair or replace torn window and door screens.
- Add door sweeps or weatherstripping to block gaps under exterior doors.
- Keep your home and yard clutter-free to reduce nesting sites.
- Trim shrubs, trees, and plants that touch your home’s walls.
- Regularly vacuum ceilings, corners, and hidden spots to remove webs and egg sacs.
- Schedule professional spider control services for long-term protection and peace of mind.
Are Spiders More Dangerous in Fall or Winter?
No, spiders aren’t more aggressive or venomous in colder seasons. They’re simply spending more time indoors, often settling near corners or damp areas like basements and bathrooms.
As long as they’re not disturbed, most spiders will leave you alone. They only bite when threatened or accidentally trapped. Outside, they become far less active in the cold, venturing out briefly on warm winter days before retreating back into hiding.
Contact the Spider Control Professionals at Bug Out
Spiders play a valuable environmental role, but that doesn’t mean you want them sharing your living or workspace. If you’re dealing with an influx of spiders this fall, trust Bug Out for professional pest control that delivers safe, effective, and lasting results.
Reach out today, contact Bug Out for spider extermination and prevention services in St. Louis.
