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Spider season may have peaked in the autumn, but for arachnophones April and May still have a few nasty surprises lurking in your house.

While normally a phenomenon associated with the onset of autumn, there is also a second wave of spiders every springtime in UK households, and this recent warm weather has brought the arachnids back out in force.

According to pest control service Contego Response, spring brings a resurgence of spiders. It says: "As the days grow longer and temperatures begin to rise, many of us in the UK begin to notice an uptick in the number of house spiders scuttling across our floors and walls.

"While it's widely recognised that spider season peaks in autumn, it's not uncommon to encounter these eight-legged visitors during spring."

But if you're worried about big beastly spiders showing up in your home this May, there are some things pest control specialists say you can do to try to halt the worst of the problem now.

Many spider repelling tips involve the use of various plant oils, as well as citrus peel. That's because spiders taste with their feet, and there are certain things like lavender oil, lemon and orange peel, and eucalyptus oil which they simply can't stand to walk over.

The tips add that you should make an essential oil mixture, such as with lavender oil, and then spray this around windowsills, doorways, skirting boards and any other nooks and crannies where spiders are liable to pounce from.

But according to expert pest control site Sentinel Pest, you can use cotton wool balls to make this tip even more effective.

Sentinel Pest, in its online guidance, explains: "Use cotton balls. For a longer-lasting effect, soak cotton balls in essential oil and place them strategically in corners, closets, and behind furniture. This method helps maintain a consistent scent in targeted areas."

This is backed up by Gardening Know How which explains: "Take a cotton ball and add four to five drops of peppermint oil and four to five drops of lavender oil to each one.

"Place each one in a small dish, plant saucer, or rest it on a coaster, and position them directly on windowsills, near doorways, around trash bins, and even inside cabinets or pantries.

"Replace or resoak cotton balls every two to three days, or whenever the scent fades.

"When positioning your cotton balls, keep them out of reach of pets and small children. Some essential oils can be harmful to pets if ingested or applied in a concentrated form."

Of course, it should be noted that spiders are actually beneficial for your home; they kill flies, silverfish, moths and other pests and generally clean up around the house to prevent insects from taking over, so if you can bear to leave them to their own devices tucked in a ceiling corner, you will feel the benefits.