Why so many house spiders this year?

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Ahrrrr!

Just your usual giant house spider, but we seem to be getting a lot of them this year, they seem bigger and earlier in the season than usual.

We usually get a couple over Sept/Oct but we've had 8 in the last couple of weeks and they've all been whoppers.

Are there more this year? Are they coming out earlier? Assume it is the males on the pull, what do they know about my house that I don't?!

We have been using some 'no more spider' spray and also an electronic plugin deterrent. I'm wondering if the latter is actually working (I was unconvinced) and is making them come out of hiding?

Our cats are useless too. They just watch while I chase the damn monsters down.

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Ours all seem to be your typical giant house spider. They are fairly big compared to usual - wouldn't fit in a pint glass without crushing legs. We've a 'spider catcher' which is a pole with nylon bristles that picks them up and paralyses them - works really well.

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After a record August / September things died down in October...

... until yesterday!

What are large house spiders doing in February?!