One of the nation’s biggest fears comes attached to eight legs, and, regardless of its size, has the ability to reduce men, women and children into quivering wrecks; shrieking and screaming as they go.

Even some pets are a little apprehensive of them. The spider has taken our nation hostage in our own homes.

Every autumn, many annual spiders move indoors to find partners, mate and lay eggs before coming to the end of their life cycle. However, mild winters over the last few years have meant that many spiders are living through until spring before mating and moving on. Egg sacs typically hold between 100 and 2000 eggs, so regardless, every spring we are inundated with hundreds and thousands of new spiderlings.

In the UK, there are over 650 species of spider living domestically, and almost all of them bite. Ouch! However, only 2% of these have venom that is strong enough to harm a human being.

Here at Pest Control London, we thought we would give you the all-important stats on some of the most common spiders in the UK.

• Giant House Spider – this one is up to 120mm long and can run, very fast! They like to be undisturbed but move indoors to find a female over winter. They rarely bite but do have potent venom
• Daddy Long Leg Spider – this small spider with long, thin legs that grow up to 45mm, does occasionally bite, but the sting only has a mild burning sensation
• Zebra Jumping Spider – seen from spring through to autumn, this spider has distinctive black and white colourings and moves very jerkily. It is relatively small, growing up to 8mm, but can bite
• False Widow Spider – can grow up to 20mm with a distinctive bulbous, dark brown abdomen. They are not aggressive, but do bite with severe swelling and pain, and can even induce chest pains dependant on how much venom is injected
• Cupboard Spider – is related to the False Widow but is about half the size. It is often purple, black or dark brown in colour and lays eggs three times a year. A bite from this spider will cause blistering and an ill feeling for a few days
• Cardinal Spider – this spider is possibly the biggest in the UK at 140mm long. They tend to come out at night and run very fast. They do bite but the bites are painless

Despite their flycatching and eating disposition, the fear factor often means that people do not want spiders in their homes and often remove them or, kill them, instead. With fewer spiders in the home, you are more likely to see other insects and pests.

If you simply cannot abide spiders anywhere near you, then you are not alone. But help is at hand! Wherever you are in North London or South London, you can call in the Pest Control experts to help you deal with the situation at hand.

For more information on any of our pest control in London services, please give us a ring on  0800 772 3262.