It's that time of year again - spider season is back.

People are likely to see more of the crawlers around their home and garden.

Collie Ennis is a zoology research associate at Trinity College Dublin.

He told The Hard Shoulder they're actually looking for love.

"Different species actually mate at different times of the year.

"But the reason why they're more prolific at this time of year in general is because the big lads that live around our house - the giant European house spider - the males are out wondering the halls and bedrooms of our houses looking for females.

"They're forlorn and looking for love.

"Surprisingly enough for spiders, they're not great at climbing - so they'll get stuck in the bath and they'll get stuck in your sink.

"The ones that run across the floor - sometimes if they're big enough you can actually hear them running across the floor - which can be very terrifying for people who are afraid of spiders.

"They're the ones that really get the whole spider season meme, if you want to call it, going every year."

A common garden spider hanging from the roof of a green house. Picture by: CBCK-Christine / Alamy Stock Photo

He said they've probably been there a while.

"They'd be the ones that'd be hiding away for the whole year and you'd never notice them in behind your sink, under your cooker or your fridge.

"That's why when you tend to move - if you've moved house or you're doing some painting - and you pull a piece of furniture off the wall you'll always find dried up woodlice and flies.

"That's because a European house spider, or a similar species, has been behind there being a free pest controller for you".

He said garden spiders are also "getting really big at this time of year too".

"They're the female, they mated earlier on in the year - but they have very bulbous bodies now because they're full of eggs.

"It really is a good time of year to go out spotting spiders, if you're that way inclined".

But he has this advice for people who spot a spider in their bedroom.

"These are are grandparents and our great-grandparents spiders - these have been living with us for years.

"They're of no harm or consequences whatsoever".

Main image: A European common house spider is seen in a kitchen sink. Picture by: Arterra Picture Library / Alamy Stock Photo