Spider proof your holiday accommodation

Autumn is the worst season for indoor insect activity

Pitchup.com gives top tips and advice on how to prevent an arachnid invasion!

Scared of the spiders?  Been put off an outdoor holiday because of them? According to statistics from the Health and Social Care Information Centre there have been 3,752 insect bite related hospital admittances in the past 12 months. So how can holidaymakers avoid them?

Pitchup.com founder, Dan Yates, says there are many ways in which outdoor holiday lovers can still enjoy their break without fear of invasion by the eight legged fiends and their friends.

“Spider season might be upon us but it’s not all bad news. It’s inevitable at this time of year that homes are invaded by spiders, especially females as they enter houses and other accommodation to look for dark safe corners in which to lay their eggs. However there are ways to discourage them and stay relatively insect free while on an outdoor holiday.”

Yates provides his top tips on keeping the little horrors out of accommodation:

• Ask for accommodation that is higher up as spiders and other insects tend to prefer lower ground - so pick the lodge on the hill rather than the one in the valley

• Choose a lodge or pod further away from water.  Many insects are attracted by lakes, rivers and other non moving or slow moving waterways.  If there are small insects there, then spiders will follow – it’s dinner for them.

• Bring lemons on holiday with you.  Spiders hate the smell of lemon so rubbing doorways and windows with a little lemon juice should work well

• If your accommodation allows candles to be burnt inside, bring along a oil burner and burn a little scented oil mixed with water while you are inside.  Spiders particularly dislike peppermint, eucalyptus, citrus and lavender.

• Keep your accommodation clean and tidy!  Spiders like nothing more than dark corners where they can hide and build webs.  A daily whip around with a feather duster or vacuum should do the trick.

• Spiders don’t like vinegar so keep a bottle in the kitchen…..it also doubles up as a detergent or you can sprinkle it on your chips!

• Cedar is a great deterrent for spiders – look out for cedar-made pods or lodges

• Luckily you can also use some other natural seasonal items to eliminate spiders.  It’s said they do not like chestnuts. Spend an afternoon foraging in the hedgerows for these autumnal nuts and place them around doors and windows during your stay.  At the end of the holiday you can take them home and roast them for a tasty winter treat

• If all else fails why not turn fear into learning?  Buy a book of British insects and enjoy the fun of identifying your new friends.

Pitchup.com has more autumn accommodation than ever before thanks to its expanded range of lodges and pods. The accommodation provider now has 200 lodges and pods* available for guests with many featuring heating, insulation, woodburners and fully fitted kitchens and bathrooms.  Prices start from as little as £20 per night.

For more information visit www.pitchup.com.  All prices correct at time of writing.

* https://www.pitchup.com/lodges/

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For media information:

Cass Helstrip, Samantha Marsh or Rob Bates at White Tiger PR

Cass.helstrip@whitetigerpr.com 07968 255464

Samantha.marsh@whitetigerpr.com 07711 265666

Rob.bates@whitetigerpr.com 07957 316491

About Pitchup.com

Founded in 2009 by former lastminute.com man, Dan Yates, multi-award winning Pitchup.com is a free guide to all types of outdoor accommodation in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Croatia, Luxembourg, Austria, Poland and Switzerland. Pitchup.com, which currently lists over 5,800 sites, provides users with a simple platform in which they can search and book an outdoor holiday with total ease: the customer journey from landing on the homepage through to booking a holiday can be completed in as little as four pages.  The site also goes beyond traditional searches by allowing users to search for accommodation based on more than 80 criteria, such as adults only and campfires allowed, and view nearby events, Good Pub Guide pubs and VisitBritain attractions.  It’s also possible to check out water bathing water quality in the surrounding area with data provided by the European Environment Agency.  Users can also search on the offers page to find the best deals available.

In 2013 Pitchup.com became the first business of its type to launch a bookable mobile app and site, making the site easily accessible to users of mobile and tablet devices.  The mobile site, m.pitchup.com, now accounts for 20% of bookings.

Pitchup.com enables users to search for all types of parks and sites from the major brands right through to one-off campsites and unique outdoor accommodation options, which may not have previously had a web presence.

Awards include Best UK Travel Website of the Year at the British Travel Press Awards 2011, and most recently Best Travel / Leisure / Sports / Mobile Strategy / Campaign at the Marketing on Mobile Awards 2014.