What a loft offers a spider
It is dry, dark, sheltered from wind and rain, and visited perhaps twice a year. Rafters, purlins and the gaps between rolls of insulation give endless anchor points for webs. Insects get in through the eaves and roof vents, so there is food, and nothing disturbs the spiders while they catch it.
Which spiders live up there
Loose, tangled webs strung between rafters are usually daddy long-legs spiders. Denser sheet webs low down along the joists or among boxes tend to belong to house spiders. Near the eaves and around vents you may also find false widows. Some make their way down through gaps round the hatch or along pipe runs, but most stay where they are.
Insects that feed them
Cluster flies are a common reason for a busy loft. These slow, dark flies gather in roof spaces in autumn to spend the winter, and on sunny days they drift down to the windows below. Lofts can also hold moths, woodlice and small beetles. Where the insects are plentiful, the spiders do well. Birds nesting under the eaves can bring in more small insects, and a loft that gets damp from a roof leak or condensation will support woodlice and other damp-loving creatures, which is worth fixing for the sake of the timbers anyway.
Stored boxes and belongings
Cardboard boxes left for years become part of the structure as far as a spider is concerned. Webs fill the gaps between them and egg sacs end up tucked into the flaps. Old rugs, blankets and woollen clothes stored in bags carry a different risk, because carpet beetle larvae and clothes moths feed on wool and feathers. If you find holes or small bristly larvae, see whether carpet beetles damage clothes and furniture.
Is it a problem?
Usually not. Spiders in a loft do not damage timber, wiring or insulation, and they eat insects you would rather not have. A web-filled loft is a nuisance when you need to use it, and a hint that insects are getting in, but it is rarely a reason for treatment in itself. It is worth acting on when spiders regularly come down into bedrooms, or when the loft is used as a room.
Rule out other loft visitors
Scratching, thumping or rustling from the roof is not spiders. Noises like that point to squirrels, rats or mice — see how to know if squirrels are in your loft and whether mice can get into a loft. A papery grey nest on a rafter in summer is wasps.
Tidying the loft
- Swap cardboard boxes for lidded plastic crates
- Keep textiles in sealed bags and look through them once a year
- Brush down webs and egg sacs whenever you go up, working away from the hatch
- Fit draught strip round the hatch so spiders and cluster flies are less likely to come down
- Check roof vents and the eaves for missing or damaged mesh
Loft rooms and interwar houses
The 1920s and 1930s houses of Kingsbury often have large, open lofts with timber eaves, many of them partly boarded for storage. Loft rooms and conversions behave like a mix of loft and bedroom: warm and lived in, but with dark eaves storage right behind the wall. Those voids are where spiders tend to build up.
Getting help
If a loft room or eaves storage keeps filling with spiders, spider control in Brent can bring numbers down in that space. It costs £180 for the first room and £60 for each additional one. Book spider control and let us know how the loft is reached. For the wider picture, read where spiders hide inside homes and what attracts spiders into a property.
