Your Patio Could Be Attracting Spiders To Your Space. Here's How
Patio areas are the perfect gathering spaces for family get-togethers and parties with friends. You might use the area to serve food to guests, garden, or even just enjoy some fresh air on a nice day. Unfortunately, the many pests that inhabit the space around a house can make their way onto your patio. This might prevent you from using the space as much as you would like. Spiders are one of the many types of critters that make themselves at home on patios. They often make webs and lay eggs in these outdoor areas, which creates an even larger problem. From furniture with many hiding spaces to various food sources, quite a few things might attract these critters to your patio.
Once you develop a spider problem, you have to deal with the burden of getting rid of the pests. You can attempt to keep spiders away yourself or enlist the help of pest control professionals; both options may be time-consuming and expensive. However, by taking note of the different factors that might be attracting spiders to your patio, you can take steps to eliminate them, saving you from the hassle of tackling another spider infestation problem in the future.
Spiders are attracted to patios with these features
Spiders love dark, cluttered spaces, so it is no surprise that they are attracted to patios with these features. Certain patio furniture can be the perfect environment for spiders to hide. Any pieces with intricate woven patterns or lots of holes and crevices give these pests plenty of space to make themselves comfortable. For instance, wicker furniture is a potential threat that may prevent you from keeping spiders away from your home.
Clutter is also very appealing to spiders. Patio decor, piles of wood, leaves, or other materials give spiders dark places to hide. Standing water, such as puddles, can attract these critters. Finally, spiders feed on various insects that might present on your patio, so you should eliminate anything that can attract other bugs as well. This might include plants, food, or trash. Even a patio light turned on at nighttime can bring bugs onto your property, attracting spiders who rely on these bugs as a food source.
How to keep spiders away from your patio
To keep spiders away from your patio, consider investing in solid outdoor furniture that does not include holes or gaps. Solid pieces without any woven design elements, like the IKEA SKARPÖ armchair, are a great choice. In addition to selecting the right furniture, keep your patio clean and clutter-free to help keep spiders away.
Develop a cleaning routine that addresses all of the dirt and grime that might attract these critters. This could include dusting, trash removal, organization, and ensuring your patio is nice and dry. Finally, keep in mind that any potted plants on your patio might be attracting spiders as well. You can reduce the frequency of this by ensuring that there are not excessive amounts of standing water in your plant pots and trimming any overgrowth as needed. You might also want to consider using an essential oil spray to help keep spiders away. A study published in the Journal of Economic Entomology (via the National Library of Medicine) in 2018 found that peppermint oil is an effective repellant against certain spider families. So, it might be a good idea to make a solution using this oil to deter any remaining spiders.