Be warned - spiders are coming. The eight-legged creepy crawlies are looking for a mate and are about to invade your home.

Sightings of massive arachnids are being reported in homes up and down the country, despite it being the wrong time of year.

Spiders typically seek shelter from September through to November, but a wet August could trick them into a premature mating season.

Cooler conditions and heavy rainfall during the weekend would also have encourage spiders to come inside.

The photo below, taken by Chris Pentney, shows a huge spider climbing up a roll of toilet paper.

Arachnophobes look away now!

And the Newcastle Chronicle reported that this video, shot in Gosforth on Sunday, shows a 7cm spider racing around curtains.

Our eight-legged friends can have a leg span of up to 12cm and female spiders can stay in your home for the whole of their seven year life span.

But many spiders you'll find lurking in your home at this time of year are males in search of a mate.


Don't be too hard on them though - spiders are an important part of the food chain. They're nature's pest controllers and help to reduce the population of insects like wasps.

Quick someone get a glass!

Spider expert Simon Garrett, of Bristol Zoological Society, said most species of spider stay outside all the time.

But mating season changes their behaviour and during mating season, some will move into a house if there is an entry point for them.

He said the best way to stop spiders coming into your house is to ensure there aren’t any leaky pipes or openings.

Here's some tips from the professionals on how to keep the spiders away.

How to keep spiders out

Seal off your home


Buy some vinegar

Plus citrus, eucalyptus, and peppermint, as it's believed spiders don’t like any of these smells. You can peel lemons and oranges and leave the peel in places where spiders might like to hide to put them off, but replace it regularly as the aroma won’t last forever.

Get the hoover out


Make sure you also look out for any spider webs or egg sacs (they will be shaped like a ball and contained in the web) and vacuum them up too. Spiders tend to like dark, hidden away locations so get the tip of the vacuum into all the nooks and crannies and behind the sofa and furniture.

Change your furniture

Spiders are believed to hate the smell of cedar wood - and a cheaper option is to buy blocks of cedar wood and place them at locations where spiders might be likely to enter.