Giant orange spider spotted by terrified Leeds 21-year-old as 'spider season' begins

Florrie Kamstra, 21, spotted the giant spider - which has been described as having a 'smiley face on its back' by members of Leedsplace - on her toilet window in Headingley yesterday.

She desperately spent the evening searching the internet to find out what kind of spider it was - with no luck.

Florrie told the Yorkshire Evening Post she was left in shock at the find.

She posted a picture of the spider into Leedsplace which soon went viral, with hundreds of Leeds residents creeped out.

Florrie said: "I spotted it outside the toilet window last night.

"My first reaction was just shock at how big it was and also the colour is quite unique.

"I was definitely a bit scared as I’ve had spider bites before and they’re not nice!

"I spent the evening looking at pictures of spiders to try and ID it and creeped myself out.

"It was gone in the morning though.

"The comments on my leedsplace post really made us laugh, although there were so many conflicting answers!"

Huge spiders have been crawling inside houses across Leeds this month as the official spider season booms into life.People afraid of spiders (isn't that all of us?) dread the beginning of September, the official start of Spider Season™.

Spider season is starting now thanks to the recent warm weather with reports of the leggy arachnids inside homes coming in from various parts of Leeds.

Spiders head inside houses as the weather starts to turn colder and wetter, looking for a mate in a warm dry home ahead of the winter.

How to keep spiders out of your house

Keep your house clean and airy

Spiders love dark, damp, cluttered places. Vacuum and dust regularly, and don't allow clutter to build up. Store things in plastic lidded boxes rather than cardboard ones to prevent spiders gaining access.

Keep your house filled with natural light

Never leave blinds or curtains closed during the day or for prolonged periods of time if you're away from home.

Use essential oils

Spiders 'smell' with their legs, so strong scents will deter them from leaving their nooks and crannies.

Tea tree, rose, cinnamon, citrus, peppermint, citronella, lavender and eucalyptus can all work - make sure you spray corners, window sills and skirting boards, and replenish regularly.

Borax

This pest control product is designed to kill ants, but it also works with spiders. Sprinkle it in corners and along door frames to prevent webs.

Seal cracks

Grab your caulking gun and seal up spider access points in walls, floors and ceilings.

Keep foliage away from your house Don't allow plants next to your home to creep too close, as spiders will hide in them.

Similarly, don't allow leaf litter, woodpiles etc to accumulate, as they make great spider hiding places.

Get a cat

A feline will fearlessly chase spiders - although you can't always guarantee a successful outcome!

Do conkers repel spiders and keep them out?

But don't use conkers!