We asked readers for their pictures of spiders in homes following a rise in sightings in recent weeks. 

Homeowners have commented on the size of spiders increasing alongside the amount of them.

Oxfordshire has had several reports of big spiders which prompted the Oxford Mail to ask for photos to be sent in to us. 

Several were submitted including some pets as well as other unannounced visitors as spider mating season gets underway.

READ MORE: Large spiders coming into Oxfordshire homes as UK tarantulas confirmed

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) previously provided some information on why the spiders are making their way into homes.

A spider photo sent into the Oxford MailA spider photo sent into the Oxford Mail (Image: Charlie Kyriacou) A spokesperson for the Trust said last week: “Some spiders have found their perfect home in our houses, hiding away behind furniture and hunting the other invertebrates that find their way inside, from house flies to wasps and mosquitoes.

“They tend to keep themselves to themselves, preferring dark corners where they can live in peace.

“But in late summer and early autumn, some spiders become more active as males reach maturity and seek out a female to woo.”

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BBC researcher Adele Brand also confirmed that alongside the regular spiders are tarantulas in the form of Britain’s only species, the purseweb spider.

The purseweb is a stay-at-home spider and spends most of its life inside that silken tube, which has been compared to an old purse and a dirty sock, hence its name.

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