Spider Bait Traps

An adhesive surface that catches spiders when they walk across it. They contain no insecticide, and they do two jobs: reducing numbers, and showing you where spiders are travelling and getting in.

For a spider you can see, no - a glass and a piece of card will move it outside in a few seconds, and released well away from the wall it rarely walks straight back in. That is what our guide to keeping spiders out of your home recommends first. Traps earn their place for the ones you never see: they work overnight, in rooms you are not in, and they show you which wall spiders are coming along, which is what tells you where to proof.

Along edges rather than in the open: hard against skirting, in corners, behind and under furniture, near door thresholds and window frames, and in cellars, lofts and garages. Spiders follow walls, so a trap in the middle of a room catches almost nothing.

They contain no insecticide. The adhesive is what to plan around - place them out of reach, usually behind or under something. Cooking oil releases the glue if a pet does get stuck.

Up to several months, or until the surface fills or dries out. A trap loses its tack before it looks full, particularly in a dusty loft or garage, so replace it when catches drop off.

No, and it is worth removing rather than waiting for the hatchlings to walk onto something. A single sac can hold up to a few hundred eggs and they usually hatch within two to three weeks. Vacuum it up with the web, then empty the vacuum straight into an outside bin rather than leaving the bag or canister indoors. Check ceiling corners, behind and under furniture, inside window reveals, and the undisturbed parts of lofts, cellars and garages.

Yes. Traps catch what is already moving indoors; a spray treats entry points and corners. Sealing gaps around frames, air bricks and pipework is what reduces numbers over a season, and traps work better alongside that than on their own - our insect proofing range covers the fittings.

Only if they are well placed. An empty trap on open floor tells you very little, since spiders travel along walls. Move them tight against skirting, into corners and near doorways, then give it a week or two. Several well-sited traps staying empty across that time is a genuine all-clear.

Two likely reasons. In autumn, mature males wander looking for females, so sightings rise for a few weeks regardless of what you do. Year-round, spiders stay where there is something to eat - reducing flies and other insects indoors does more to reduce spiders than catching the spiders does.

Rarely necessary for spiders. Consider it if activity is heavy and persistent year-round in a commercial or food setting, if you cannot find or reach where they are getting in, or if someone has had an unusual reaction to a bite. Look for a qualified pest controller with BPCA membership.