Spiders are arthropods that have singular eyes and eight legs. There are 40,000 species worldwide, but you can find only a few little spiders in the bed. Fortunately, most are harmless, but sometimes their bite may cause an allergic reaction.
They end up in your bed after entering the house from the outside. Since females lay numerous eggs in hidden corners, including your bed, you can quickly face an invasion. In this case, your only option is to eliminate them immediately. Let’s take a look.
Little spiders in the bed |
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| Bug type | Size | Color |
| American house spider | 0.25 inches (6.35 mm) | Brown |
| Jumping spider | 0.04 to 0.85 inches (1 – 21.5 mm) | Contrasting bright or iridescent |
| Grass spider | 0.40 to o 0.80 inches (10 – 20 mm) | Cream, yellow, or brown with two dark brown bands |
| Hobo spider | 0.30 to 0.65 inches (7.6 – 16.5 mm) | Brownish |
| Yellow Sac spider | 0.25 to 0.37 inches (6.35 – 9.4 mm) | Tan or light yellow |
| Orb-weaver spider | Females – 2 to 6 inches (5 – 15 cm)
Males – 0.50 to 2 inches (1.3 – 15 cm) |
Nocturnal species – gray or brown
Diurnal species – bright yellow or orange with black markings |
| Daddy longlegs | 0.02 to 0.9 inches (0.5 – 23 mm) | Brown |
| Wolf spider | 0.25 to 1.38 inches (6.35 – 35 mm) | Brown or black with tan, yellow, red, or brown markings |
| Brown recluse spider | 0.25 to 0.50 inches (6.35 – 12.7 mm) | Tan to dark brown |
| Black widow | Females – 1.50 inches (38 mm)
Males – 0.75 inches (19 mm) |
Solid black |
Little Spider Species You Can Find in Bed
Most spider species can’t bite through the skin’s outer layer. Therefore, they are harmless to humans unless you are allergic to their bites. Only a few species can appear inside your bedroom and end up in your bed, including:
American (Common) house spiders – These brown 0.25 inches (6.35 mm) long arachnids weave a tangled web where females place egg sacs.
Jumping spiders – They are 0.04 to 0.85 inches (1 – 21.5 mm) long and have contrasting bright or iridescent bodies. Their presence in the bed is unpleasant since they really jump.
Daddy longlegs – These brown, 0.02 to 0.9 inches (0.5 – 23 mm) long spiders live in urban areas. You can find these harmless creatures in your home, including the bed.
Besides these spiders commonly found in houses, some other species can end up in your bed, although inside spaces are not their natural habitats:
- Grass spiders typically live outdoors
- Hobo spiders choose dark and hidden places as primary habitats
- Yellow Sac spiders are common in gardens during the winter
- Orb-weaver spiders primarily live in the yard
- Wolf spiders mostly live outdoors
Reasons for Little Spiders in Bed
1. Adult spiders
You can expect adult spiders to enter your home and bedroom in the late fall since it is a period for them to hibernate. They find their way through open doors and windows or thin gaps and cracks in the walls.
Spiders also come in when you have a bug infestation since these insects are a source of food. Since your bed is not a chosen habitat or hunting ground for arachnids, only bugs living in your bedroom area are the reason for their presence in this room.
Once they come in, they find abandoned, hidden, and cluttered places to settle. Any dirty space full of paper piles, cardboard, or cardboard boxes is good enough for that purpose.
Be aware that your bedroom is not the favorite place for spiders, except if you keep it dirty. They avoid human presence, so only ideal conditions can force them to choose your bed to spend time in.
There is one more option. House spiders weaving their webs on the ceilings may accidentally fall on your bed. Fortunately, they will leave as soon as possible without negative consequences.
2. Spider egg sacs
You can expect adult females to lay eggs inside your bedroom once they get there. You can spot egg sacs reminding of silky woven balls in tight gaps, behind furniture, or in the bed frame, which is a sign that you have an invasion.
Things That Attract Spiders
Dirty things in your home and bug presence strongly attract spiders. In other words, if you create a pleasant environment for insects, spiders will enter your home while looking for food.
Garbage – Trash inside your home, including the bedroom, damp garage, and dark basement, are crucial reasons for spiders appearing in your bed.
Food – Numerous ingredients, mainly fruit kept outside the refrigerator, are a real treat for spiders. Be aware that leftovers and crumbs that remain after meals in the bed attract bugs and, consequently, insect-eating spiders.
Untidy storage boxes – Keep your storage box in the bedroom corner clean. Otherwise, it will be an excellent hiding place for spiders to nest.
Old magazines and newspapers – They are one more item that attracts spiders. They choose old paper as a convenient dark place to hide.
Stagnant water – If you have any leaking under the kitchen sink and bathroom washbasin, you can be sure that this water will attract spiders. The same thing is with stagnant water, like the one from the air conditioner in the bedroom, or when your walls are full of moisture.
Houseplants – Plants kept inside beautify your home but also attract insects when you fail to maintain them properly. As a result, increased moisture and rotten flowers and leaves become an ideal space for spiders, and you can quickly see them weaving their webs between the foliage.
Untidy garden – A poorly maintained yard full of standing water, piled-up rotting leaves, branches, and old logs are ideal for attracting spiders. As expected, only one step separates them from your bedroom and bed.
Cracks and gaps – Cracked walls and various gaps you can notice near openings, like your doors, windows, and pipes, are the entry point for insects. Since spiders feed on these bugs, you can expect to see them inside the house.
Abandoned places – Spiders enjoy spending time in empty and warm spaces. They typically choose damp basements and uncleaned rooms to weave their webs undisturbed by people.
Ways to Get Rid of Little Spiders in Bed
In most cases, it is unnecessary to eliminate spiders from your home. They are beneficial, and most arachnids are not a threat to humans.
Remember that their presence in the house is always limited since these creatures are highly territorial. Additionally, they feed on tiny insects and contribute to pest control. Once they exterminate bugs, they will leave.
However, you can get rid of spiders if you hate seeing them and their nets in corners or if you are afraid of sharing the bed with them. The best options include the following:
1. Clean the house and bedroom
Since spiders prefer dark, cluttered, and dirty areas, you can keep them away from your home with regular maintenance. Your goal is to eliminate insects that attract spiders, and they will leave without a regular food source.
Pay attention to cleaning your kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom, particularly around your bed. Vacuum crumbs, remove leftover food around and under your bed, eliminate redundant stuff from the closet, and throw away old magazines.
Avoid storing old storage boxes with old clothes underneath your bed, particularly those made of cardboard that quickly absorbs moisture. Finally, clear out the cobwebs from corners and use repellents to get rid of insects.
2. Avoid eating in bed
Human food is not a part of spiders’ food chain, but its smell can attract them. Additionally, eating in bed often results in food crumbs remaining on the bed, attracting various bugs, like flies, mosquitoes, and moths. Since spiders feed on these insects, you can see them crawling along your pillow, looking for yummy food.
3. Essential oils
Essential oils are excellent repellents, and it is likely to keep spiders away by spraying some over the house. Even though there are no scientific confirms, it seems these arachnids avoid the following scents:
- Peppermint oil
- Cedar oil
- Eucalyptus oil
- Lavender oil
- Tea tree oil
- Lemon oil
- Rose
- Cinnamon
- Citrus candles
Sprinkle or spray any of these natural products around the house to prevent spiders from entering. The best places are window sills, hidden areas, corners in the bedroom, bookcase tops, and space underneath the bed.
Combine a few oils for the best result and replace them every 3 to 4 days to keep their fresh, natural fragrance.
Another option is to wash bed sheets weekly and add essential oil or a mix of a few to the dryer. Soak several wool dryer balls or washcloths with chosen oil mixture and put them inside with pillowcases, bedsheets, and blankets. That way, you will evenly distribute the scents on the linen and keep spiders away.
4. Other natural repellents
White vinegar – Thanks to the potent smell, white vinegar is a great solution to eliminate spiders. Mix a half bottle of vinegar and water and spray the solution around the bed.
Boric acid – Sprinkle this acid around bed legs to repel fleas, termites, and cockroaches. A lack of insects will keep spiders away from your bed, plus this abrasive powder kills some arachnid species.
Tobacco – Soak chewing tobacco and a cup of lemon dishwashing soap in 1 gallon (3.8 l) of boiling water. Use this mixture to spray on spiders and their webs until you eliminate them.
Walnuts and conkers – Place them in room corners and window sills to deter spiders from entering your home.
5. Move houseplants
Keep houseplants to a minimum when having an issue with spiders, and never keep them in the bedroom. Additionally, avoid overwatering and regularly remove fallen leaves and flowers.
6. Seal gaps and cracks in the walls
Spiders are skillful crawlers and can use keyholes and even the thinnest gaps in the wall or window sill to enter your home. Once they reach your bedroom, they start laying eggs and let juveniles invade your bed.
You can quickly prevent such a situation by sealing cracks and gaps, installing a door sweep, and protecting your windows with netting.
7. Pick out an appropriate bed and other furniture
One of the most effective ways to keep spiders away from your bed is to avoid placing other furniture beside it. That way, you will prevent spiders from climbing the wardrobe and falling on your bed.
On the other hand, buying a bed with long legs prevents spiders from climbing up from the floor. Additionally, you can install bed risers, place the headboard far from the wall, and keep linen from reaching the floor.
If you are a real arachnophobe, you can solve the problem with spiders by purchasing cedar wood furniture. Since they hate this wood type’s smell, one of the options is to place cedarwood blocks near your door, windows, and possible entrances.
8. Eliminate bugs
When you get rid of flies, crickets, ants, centipedes, and cockroaches, spiders will leave your home because of the lack of food.
9. Ultrasonic pest repellent
Ultrasonic repellents are electronic devices that produce ultrasound and electromagnetic waves, keeping insects and spiders away. Since they are safe, you can plug your device into a socket without worrying about kids’ and pets’ health.
On the other hand, some studies show that ultrasonic repellents don’t emit electromagnetic waves and can’t repel bugs. It is up to you to decide whether to try them or not.
10. Spider traps
Sometimes, spider traps are your only solution. Place them underneath your bed, on furniture tops, and in the corners to catch those trying to reach your bed.
11. Turn the outside lights off
Keep outside lights off during the night to avoid attracting bugs and spiders. These lights are functional and decorative, but keeping insects away from them is impossible. After that, it is just one step away from them entering the house.
Summary
Spiders often enter your home when conditions suit them to live, eat, mate, and reproduce inside. In other words, they will be in your bedroom and invade your bed when there is enough food. As soon as you eliminate other insects by regular cleaning, the number of spiders will quickly decrease.