Have you spotted any big spiders recently?

Spiders - whether you love or hate them, there's no denying it can be a bit of a shock seeing them scuttling around your house!

As the weather gets warmer you may be spotting more of the critters then you usually would, but don't worry, there's nothing to worry about. It's pretty normal to see more spiders in your home around this time of year.

So what's the reason behind the spider season?

Spiders normally start entering people's homes during late summer and early autumn. The combination of warm and wet weather often means there are more insects for spiders to eat. The well-fed spiders then go out looking for mates - which they hope to find inside people's houses!

The majority of arachnids spotted are actually male spiders looking for females to mate with. Female spiders normally stay indoors waiting for the males.

So why are some spiders hanging around homes now? Well, it's pretty much for the same reasons! Male spiders are on the look out for females and the warmer weather also means there's more food for them to eat.

"Certainly spiders are more noticeable both inside and outside houses (e.g. in gardens and the wider countryside) at this time of year because many species are now mature, males are wandering looking for mates and web-building spiders are visible in their webs," said Dr Geoff Oxford from the British Arachnological Society (BAS).

"There is nothing special happening other than warmer weather and more abundant insects. Warmer weather, for example, brings out iconic jumping spiders, which rove about on house walls and fences."

Have you been spotted any big spiders in your home recently? Let us know in the comments!