Why Do Spiders Appear in the Sink?

The itsy bitsy spider went... down into the sink.

Looking in your bathtub or sink and seeing a big black spider staring back at you can be startling. Although spiders may look menacing, most are completely harmless. These spiders are simply looking for a water supply.

You may wonder why spiders seem to be found in sinks and tubs so often. According to the British Arachnological Society, spiders can easily get trapped in sinks and bathtubs. They are thirsty and attracted to the water, so they go down into the sink or tub to get a drink. Once down there, these spiders become trapped. They are unable to climb back out due to the slippery and curved surface.

You may see spiders in your bathroom and wonder where are they coming from. Garden and yard spiders either enter your home through windows, doors or some small other access point in your home. They may also be a species of house spider that live in your home and repopulate.

If you want to help the spider get out of the sink or tub and back to its web, the British Arachnological Society suggests placing a towel in the side of the basin so that the sink spider can climb back out on its own. The towel provides a texture that they can to get out.

There is often confusion about releasing spiders found indoors outside as an alternative to killing them. However, house spiders are often a different species than garden or yard spiders, which are outdoor spiders.

If you release a house spider outdoors and into the wild, they may not survive. Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture states that these spiders are used to vastly different living conditions indoors and may not be able to adapt to living outside.

There is a common myth that spiders come in from outside in the autumn to avoid the cold. But according to Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, house spiders are a species used to indoor conditions, such as a steady temperature, as well as low food and water supply. This is why spiders are entering sinks and tubs — to find water in a scarce environment. However, they are not adapted to climb on such a smooth surface and are unable to get out.

There is a popular myth that spiders come up though the drains from the sewers. This myth is, in fact, untrue.

Spiders cannot come into your home through plumbing, pipes and drains. According to Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, modern drains have a liquid-filled sediment trap that spiders cannot penetrate.

According to National Geographic, most of the 40,000 known spider species, such as the wolf spider, are not venomous or harmful to humans. If you are concerned, then take a picture and research the specific spider to see if it is native to your region.

Most spiders are trying to coexist in your home. They are looking for a water source and get stuck. These eight-legged friends just want to live in harmony in your home.