Understanding spider attraction: Why spiders enter your home
Key takeaways
- What attracts spiders most is the presence of prey, including insects such as flies, mosquitoes, and ants.
- Warmth, shelter, moisture, clutter, and easy access through cracks and crevices can make a home more attractive to spiders.
- What attracts spiders to your bed includes dark, undisturbed spaces, warmth, and the presence of insects they may prey on.
- Spiders are not typically attracted to smells, but food and garbage odors might attract insects that serve as their prey.
- Where spiders come from often includes cracks, gaps, vents, open doors and windows, and items brought inside from outdoors.
Jump to section:
What attracts spiders to your house
What can attract spiders to your bed?
Preventative measures to keep spiders away
What to do if spiders enter your house
Spiders enter homes in search of the same essentials they need outdoors: food, shelter, moisture, and protection from the elements. Understanding what attracts spiders and how they find their way indoors can help you take steps to make your home less appealing to them. Learn more about what attracts spiders to your home, where they come from, and what smells spiders may be drawn to.
What attracts spiders to your house
Understanding what attracts spiders in the house can help you prevent them from entering in the first place. Many factors can make your home an ideal space for spiders to hide, including:
Warmth and shelter: Spiders seek warmth during cooler seasons and shelter from harsh weather conditions.
Food sources: What attracts spiders most is prey like flies, mosquitoes, and ants. If they’re around your home, spiders can be, too.
Outdoor lighting: Lights can attract insects, which in turn can attract spiders looking for food.
Clutter and debris: Piles of clutter and wood can provide hiding spots for spiders and their prey.
Moisture: Damp or humid environments, such as basements, crawl spaces, and leaky pipes, can attract spiders and insects.
Cracks and crevices: Gaps around windows and doors can allow spiders to enter your home easily.
Spiders seek shelter indoors year-round, regardless of the season. In fall, they look for warmth as temperatures drop. During winter, they find secluded spots to stay warm. Spring increases their activity as they search for mates and food. In summer, high insect activity and hot weather drive spiders indoors, seeking prey and cooler environments.
What can attract spiders to your bed?
Cracks, crevices, and hidden spaces are prime real estate for spiders. But what attracts spiders to your bed?
Dark, undisturbed spaces: Spiders seek quiet, undisturbed areas to hide and build webs. Beds, especially with hanging or sheltered bedding, can provide such spaces.
Prey availability: Bedding and linens can trap insects like bed bugs, fleas, or other spider prey.
Warmth: Like other areas of the home, beds provide warmth, especially if they are near heat sources or in rooms that are kept warm.
What smells do spiders like?
Spiders are generally not attracted to smells in the way that other pests, like ants or mosquitoes, might be. They mostly use sight and vibrations to hunt and navigate. However, they are attracted to environments where their prey may be present. These insects are often attracted to sweet or pungent odors, so areas with strong food or garbage scents could indirectly attract spiders.
Where do spiders come from?
It may seem like spiders appear out of nowhere, but there are a few ways they can easily enter your home:
Cracks and gaps: Spiders can enter through small cracks and gaps around doors, windows, and the foundation.
Open windows and doors: They can crawl in through open or poorly sealed windows and doors.
Vents: Vents, utility lines, and other openings can allow spiders to enter your home.
Items brought inside: Spiders can be brought inside on plants, firewood, or other items.
Attic and basement spaces: These areas often have many entry points and are less frequently disturbed, making it easy for spiders to hide.
Preventive measures to keep spiders away
Preventing spiders from entering your home involves a combination of strategies to make your living spaces less appealing to these eight-legged invaders:
Seal entry points: Close gaps, cracks, and holes around windows, doors, and your home’s foundation.
Clean regularly: Regularly vacuum and dust to remove spider webs, egg sacs, and potential prey.
Reduce clutter: Clear out clutter in dark spaces, such as basements and attics where spiders like to hide.
Moisture control: Fix leaks and use dehumidifiers to help make your home less attractive to moisture-loving spiders and their prey.
Outdoor lighting: Use yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs outdoors, as they attract fewer insects that spiders prey on.
Maintain yard: Trim vegetation, remove debris, and keep wood piles away from the house.
Contact a professional: A professional can inspect your home to determine where spiders are entering and recommend preventive measures to prevent them from returning.
What to do if spiders enter your house
While understanding what attracts spiders in the house can be helpful, it may not be enough if you already have an infestation. Contacting a professional for spider control is the best option to remove these pests from your home.
If you’re worried about spiders in your home, consider our ongoing pest control plan, PestFree365. Our PestFree365 plans include a multipoint interior and exterior inspection and regularly scheduled pest treatments to keep pests like spiders out. Our PestFree365 plan helps protect you from 25 common household pests1, and our PestFree365+ plan includes protection against 39 pests, including brown recluse and black widow spiders 2.
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