In case you couldn’t tell by all the eight-legged creepy crawlies around the neighborhood, we’re smack dab in the middle of Seattle spider season. The goth-sounding time period is part of our wacko local calendar — right after Summer, the Sequel.
Early fall is when we can see certain Western Washington arachnids more prominently, but there are a few misconceptions around our web-slinging friends. So let’s detangle some of the spin.
Spidey senses tingling
Spiders didn’t just arrive now. They’ve been here in similar quantities throughout the whole year, if that makes you feel better (or worse).
Around this time, two local species reach maturity: the European orb weaver and the giant house spider. Both sound a little scary, but don’t freak out — neither are harmful to humans. They’re more visible these days because the male members of both species are at the end of their lifespan and doing everything they can to go out and find a mate. Awwww. Don’t you feel bad about washing them down the drain, now?
More local spider facts:
- There are 960+ spider species in Washington, more than every other state except Texas + California.
- Around 25-30 species live in Seattle.
- The giant house spider can grow to four inches in size — about the side of your palm. Try not to think about it.
How to deal
Experts say that the best thing to do is just leave indoor spiders alone. But if you feel you absolutely must get rid of them, don’t just carry the little critters outside in a cup since that’s actually harmful to them.
Instead, you can relocate house spiders to a garage, shed, or crawl space. That way, they can be away from your couch but still snack on tasty pests like flies or mosquitoes — and you can all sleep in peace.