BOSTON, Massachusetts – 

A researcher at Cambridge College in Boston, Massachusetts, says that strategically placing fake rubber or plastic spiders around your home can effectively ward off the real thing.

Jim Carver, a research scientist at Cambridge, says that the reason that real spiders are scared of the fake spiders is unclear, but that tests have shown it works 100% of the time to rid areas of the actual, creepy arachnids.

“Spiders don’t like other spiders, that’s a pretty well known fact,” said Carver. “We figure that since spiders are not very smart, they don’t realize that the fake spiders are, in fact, fake. So they see them, and they get all upset about another spider being around, and they just leave. That’s our best guess, anyway.”

Carver suggests picking up fake spiders during the Halloween season when they are easy to come by, and placing them in areas around your home, but leaving them year-round.

“Put them in places like under your toilet, under sinks, on window frames, etcetera,” said Carver. “When a real spider comes along, he will be tricked by the fake spider, and he will leave, keeping your home free of arachnids.”

You’re welcome, arachnophobes.