Friday September 25, 2009Kat Higgins, Sky News Online
There is bad news for arachnophobes this autumn with conservationists predicting an increase in spiders in our homes and gardens.
The charity Buglife said breeding conditions are perfect this year for British spiders like the daddy longlegs (or cranefly) and house spider.
Nature-lovers may be pleased with the news but it is likely to send spider-haters running.
Autumn is typically the season when arachnids turn up in houses and garages, often causing dramatic reactions in home-owners.
Arachnophobe Gemma Christian, 24, told Sky News Online she is worried already.
"I'm going to have to spend more time at my boyfriend's house where there will be a house full of men to deal with them," she said.
"I'm also considering having hypnotherapy otherwise I won't be able to sleep at night."
Chief executive of Buglife, Matt Shardlow, explained to Sky News Online the cause of the spider invasion: "A warm, long summer with no long periods of cold or wet weather means there are plenty of bugs for them to feed on."
There is also plenty of decaying material around for the critters to feed on after last year's wet autumn.
Mr Shardlow hopes it will slow the recent decline in spider species in the UK.
He said the eight-legged critters play a "critically important role in ecosystems" and added that he is "hopeful there will be a boost for populations of other invertebrates."
It could also be a bumper season for animals that feed on the creepy-crawlies, including birds and small mammals.
But Mr Shardlow is urging home-owners not to kill spiders - but to pick them up and put them outside.
He told Sky: "They are almost all harmless and do good work in your house eating flies and other pests."
"Buglife would like people to tolerate spiders and even grow to love them if they can," he added hopefully.
The charity is also asking householders to poke around in their sheds and in dark corners in their homes to see if they can spot 10 species over this weekend or the first weekend in October.
The idea is part of its annual Spider Hunt where they hope to gain information on the health of the invertebrates and how many of them are around at the moment.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Increase-In-Spiders-Expected-This-Autumn-Due-To-Good-Weather-Conditions-Buglife-Charity/Article/200909415389352?f=rss
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