Do you have to worry about spiders less during the winter? Or do you have a greater need for spider removal in Kitchener because they are looking for shelter from the cold? Some animals seek winter shelter in human homes, but spiders usually aren’t among them. Nevertheless, you may see spiders at least as often during fall and winter as you do during the warmer months.

What Do Spiders Do During the Winter?

What happens to spiders in the winter depends on the species. Some species of spiders only live one year. They hatch from their eggs in the spring, remain active all summer, and mate and lay eggs in the fall. When winter comes, they die, leaving their eggs behind to hatch in the spring.

However, most spider species are made to survive the winter. When cold weather comes, they enter a state of extremely reduced physiological activity called diapause. Spiders appear dormant during diapause, but patches of warm weather may revive them temporarily so they can forage for food. Spiders look for a dark, safe place to hide during diapause that provides protection from predators.

To prepare for diapause, spiders have to go through a cold-hardening process. A chemical that works similar to antifreeze builds up in their blood, lowering the temperature at which the blood will freeze. This cold-hardening process allows them to withstand colder temperatures to survive the winter. When the weather warms up in spring, they are ready to go about their lives as they did before the cold weather set in.

What Happens To Spiders Inside Homes?

If you see spiders inside your home during the winter, chances are that they grew up there. Only about 5% of spiders in homes migrate in from outside, and those born in homes typically spend all their lives there. Fall is mating season for most spider species. They are typically more active while they are looking for mates, so you typically see them more often during the fall than at any other time of the year.

As the weather outside turns colder, you may notice that spiders inside remain active. Why? Why aren’t they going into diapause the way they would if they were living in the wild?

There are two main reasons. First, spiders need exposure to cold temperatures to go into diapause. Their bodies only produce the special blood chemical that works as antifreeze in response to cold exposure. Furthermore, they have to be exposed to cold temperatures gradually to give the chemical time to build up in their blood. If you put a spider from your house outside in the middle of winter, it will die because its body hasn’t had time to prepare.

The other reason why spiders inside a house don’t go dormant is that they don’t need to. Your home’s interior probably maintains a pretty consistent temperature throughout the year. Therefore, the spiders inside won’t be exposed to cold temperatures and don’t have to go into diapause.

What Do Spiders Eat During the Winter?

Most spiders feed on insects. Like spiders, insects typically either die off or go into diapause when winter comes. Part of the reason why spiders in the wild have to go dormant is that they may not be able to find enough food otherwise.

However, the consistent warmth inside your home that keeps spiders active has a similar effect on insects. Therefore, if you have an insect infestation, spiders should have plenty to eat throughout the winter.

Why Should You Call Truly Nolen for Spider Removal in Kitchener?

Spiders living in your home can cause a year-round nuisance. Our Four Seasons pest control approach bases removal and prevention on seasonal patterns of behaviour that spiders and other pests typically display. Find out more about this innovative approach to residential pest control.