Cobweb spiders and cellar spiders can comfortably live in basements year-round rather than overwintering the way outdoor species do. Cellars have steady temperature and humidity and they stay dark, both of which help insects, and the spiders that hunt them, keep breeding through the winter.
Basements are one of the few indoor environments more favorable to spiders than the outdoors. Consider what a cellar offers to your typical spider in Greenwich. It’s well above freezing and the humidity is high, particularly in older homes. These spaces are also often dark and go undisturbed for weeks at a time. Cobwebs in corners, joists, and window wells go unbothered. There is a lot to like.
Food supply is another big factor that a lot of people don’t think about. Basements are not empty of insects. All kinds of things from crickets to sowbugs to millipedes to silverfish can work their way indoors. Spiders eat them. So when you see heavy webbing, you can bet that you have not only a spider problem but an insect problem that makes the spider problem possible in the first place.
Most spiders that set up in Greenwich homes are harmless. Cellar spiders, sometimes called daddy long-legs, build loose tangled webs in corners and ceiling junctions and are among the most common basement residents in Connecticut. Common house spiders build similarly messy cobwebs. Neither is aggressive and neither poses a serious risk to people.
Still, you don’t want a bunch of spiders in your house. So first try running a dehumidifier if the basement is damp. It might also help to fix leaks and improve drainage. Seal gaps around windows, the sill plate, and utility penetrations if you see gaps. If there are window wells, clear them of leaf litter and add covers. If you have exterior lighting near basement windows, consider reducing that because lighting can draw insects that spiders eat. Then sweep up spider webs regularly as you find them. Rebuilt webs can tell you activity is still ongoing.
If spiders and the insects feeding them keep showing up in your basement, Mosquito Squad of Greenwich can help. Mosquito Squad's home and yard coverage treats the foundation and entry points where spiders and insects get in. This will help you protect your basement and living areas.
