Mild weather is causing house-invading spiders to grow abnormally large, experts have warned.
Unseasonably high temperatures, as well as greater access to food, means spiders are growing to a greater size than usual.
It comes as a new app, Spider In Da House, was launched by the Society of Biology to help homeowners identify the different arachnids they find inside their houses.
Spiders are particularly active at this time of year and are on the lookout for a mate, which often leads to them coming inside homes.
Professor Adam Hart, from the University of Gloucestershire, said: “This year has been seemingly a good one for the invertebrates which spiders feed on, and it’s quite mild out there.
“By eating flies and other insects, spiders are not only providing use with a pest control service, but are important in ecosystems.
“They often feed on the most common species, preventing a few species from becoming dominant.”
The identification app comes with photos and information on the 12 most common spiders found inside homes.
It also helps users to differentiate between male and female spiders, of which the latter are often bigger.
Prof Hart added: “We want to encourage people to respect and learn more about their little house guests.”
The Spider In Da House app is available from the Apple App Store and Google Play.
