Watch out for some new eight-legged roommates this fall!
Royal BC Museum entomology collections manager Claudia Copley, and research associate Dr. Robb Bennett, are reminding Victoria residents that spider visibility may be higher at this time of year.
The experts are quick to note that while there aren’t suddenly more spiders than normal, they may be more visible and easier to spot.
This increase in visibility is due to a variety of reasons, such as spider growth, pregnancy, and mate-seeking.
The Garden Cross Spider, for example, is small earlier in the year but likely reaching full size now. Meanwhile, females of the species may look larger as their abdomens fill with eggs during this season.
Your house is basically Tinder for spiders right now
Like their human counterparts, male spiders that are maturing may be searching the world for potential mates, and this includes inside your home.
To help avoid these unwanted house guests, Copley suggests purchasing a door sweep, which is perfect for both blocking spiders and insulating your home.
Copley stresses that these spiders are completely harmless, and are unlikely to bite unless provoked.
To further put your mind at ease, Copley says that spider venom does not contain any bacteria, and that most “spider bites” are actually caused by other organisms, like fleas and other blood-feeding insects.
“Don’t worry… that spider is smaller than you,” says the museum.
