Any arachnophobes should look away now – because the UK is being taken over by a 150-million strong invasion of giant house spiders.
The eight-legged beasts can grow up to 7.5cm in size and are usually a dark orange or brown.
They usually enter homes in the UK between late September and October, but experts are warning there could be more than ever before this year.
MailOnline readers up and down the country have sent in pictures of the gruesome creatures spotted lurking in their homes.
David Preston spotted this giant multi-coloured spider on the other side of his window in Hampton Vale , Peterborough. He says he has ‘never seen one like this before’ and was grateful to have found it on the wrong side of his window
Lizzie Chambers found this giant spider at her home yesterday. She was alarmed to find she and her friend were sitting next to it
Lauren Hickey spotted this creature at home and managed to catch it in a glass before it got away. Luckily she managed to get the hideous creature under control
Suzanne Richardson screamed in horror when she found this giant spider near the top of her door
This dark brown giant spider was brought under control by a MailOnline reader who trapped it in a glass before it could scare anyone else
Brian Pearson found this huge house spider in his 18-year-old daughter’s bedroom in Basildon, Essex. He says the teenager would not enter her room or go to sleep until he had checked everywhere for any more unwanted surprises
Samantha Robertson found three giant house spiders like the one pictured in her house in two days. She said: ‘I’m usually not scared of spiders but these ones gave me the creeps’. Her husband Andrew caught it and managed to get it out of the house
Liam O Brien found this tube spider in his house in Hedge End, Southampton this week. He claims the creature has been hiding out in his garden lamp for ‘at least three months’ and has decided to call him Harold
According to experts the recent wet weather has meant the insects and flies spiders eat have been easier for them to catch – which means they’re even bigger this year.
Naturalist Malcolm D Welshman said: ‘It’s boosted their population – hence 150 million are now on the march indoors as the spider-nesting season starts.
Simon Garrett, head of Conservation Learning at Bristol Zoological Society added: ‘Spiders don’t specifically want to enter your home – in fact, they’d rather stay away as there’s less food and it’s too dry and clean. It is the need to mate that changes their behaviour.
‘Some will move into a house if there is an entry point for them.’
Giant house spiders – measuring up to 7.5cm in size and dark orange-brown in colour – commonly enter UK homes from late September through to mid-October. Pictured is a female spider
After a male has found a female’s web, he remains there for a number of weeks, mating repeatedly with her.
The female then stores the sperm over the winter, allowing her to produce more than ten egg sacs – each containing up to 60 eggs – the following spring.
Giant house spiders, scientific name Eratigena atrica, are larger and bolder than the more common ‘ordinary’ house spiders.
Pest controllers recommend sealing cracks in doors and removing plants from the outside of the house to prevent spiders entering your home.
Giant house spiders, scientific name Eratigena atrica, are larger and bolder than the more common ‘ordinary’ house spiders