THE eight-legged arachnids are invading British homes once again as spider season has arrived.

We take a look at how long spider season in the UK lasts, what to expect and how to keep them out.

When is UK spider season?

Spider season isn't very long – which is good news for those who suffer from arachnophobia.

It begins in the first or second week of September and ends by the first week of October.

Spiders come indoors as the weather begins to cool so they can mate.

Prof Adam Hart, an entomologist at the University of Gloucestershire, told the BBC that at least "80 per cent of the spiders people see are males".

They come inside to hunt for the females that "stay put" indoors.

Females are typically seen in the garage or windowsill in their webs.

How long does spider season last?

Spiders only come out when the first leaves begin to fall.

That's usually from September to October. Midway through autumn, most spiders have already found their mates.

So as the weather begins to cool, brace yourself to meet some spiders but fear not as come Christmas most will have disappeared!

How can you protect your home against spiders?

Prof Hart said not to believe old wive's tales using peppermint spray.

He suggests keeping a tidy home to eliminate places the eight-legged creatures can hide.

Ways to spider-proof your home are:

• Vacuum regularly – high and low
• Remove any webs you see
• Fill gaps between walls, pipes, doors, etc
• Remove anything that can be shelter like firewood piles, garden bags and compost heaps

Should you be worried about spiders?

Out of the 650 spider species in the UK, only 12 can be harmful to humans.

False widow spider, also known as Steatoda nobilis or the Noble false widow, numbers are reportedly increasing as milder winters have allowed them to survive and breed in more places around Britain, with terrifying sightings logged everywhere from Cornwall to Orkney.

What makes them so dangerous is they are one of the very few species in the UK that can bite humans, and inject them with powerful venom.

While most people will feel the painful bite and see some redness and swelling around the puncture marks, false widows don't normally do lasting damage.

But in some cases, the bite can trigger a severe allergic reaction or the wound can become infected — which can have potentially lethal consequences.

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