We see them here. We see them there. We see spiders everywhere!

Yes, the annual spider “invasion” is on – but don’t panic: while spiders are most visible in homes at this time of year, it’s natural to have them around and they won’t hurt you. They are useful, eating insect pests in our homes and part of the natural history of buildings.

Some species come indoors during autumn because, like us, they like warmth, but some are in our homes all year round – it’s just that the males reach maturity around now, so wander in search of females.

The large hairy brown spider seen indoors during autumn is usually the male of the common (or “giant”) house spider. It becomes more active and is out searching for mates. They’re fast and can run a half a metre per second. But don’t worry – they’re absolutely harmless!

Meanwhile the larger, rounder females rarely leave their nests, often out of sight, in corners behind cupboards, in attics, garages and other places. You might spot their sheet web, with a tubular retreat, in an undisturbed corner.

The thin gangly “daddy longlegs” spider – often spinning a loose, messy web in the corner of a room – is most likely the cellar spider. It feeds on any insects it can find, but will also hunt other spiders – including house spiders.

Although it has a small body (females are about 8mm long, the males slightly smaller) its legs are up to six times the body length, so looks huge.

You might see a mouse spider. It is 9-12mm long and gets its name from the covering of tiny grey hairs on the rear part of its body, which looks a bit like mouse fur. Found in homes and gardens, they mostly hunt at night. Instead of making a web, they wander around looking for small insects to ambush.

Another spider species often found in houses in the south of England – they are rarer further north – is the spitting spider. This small spider (3–6mm in size) is straw-coloured with black flecks all over the body and legs. It comes out at night to hunt insects and can move only slowly so, when it finds a target, it sprays it with a sticky fluid that glues the prey to the floor, making it easier to approach safely.

You might see false widow spiders, with a body length up to 14mm (10mm in males), which make criss-crossed webs and hide in crevices during the day. Their webs are a tangle of threads.

Females have a big globular shiny abdomen, while a male’s is smaller and less rounded. They resemble the notorious black widow spiders (not native to the UK) but are not as harmful to humans – the most they will do is give you a small bite, similar in effect to a bee or wasp sting.

The UK has three false widow species of which the noble false widow is the commonest. Its round abdomen has a mostly brown upper side, with a pale dividing line. The short legs are banded brown.

With over 650 species of spider in the UK, some living in our homes and lots more outdoors, you might spot other types this autumn.

Don’t be alarmed: the UK’s spiders aren’t dangerous and generally keep out of our way, preferring the quiet life of a dark corner!