Think spiders in your home are bad news? Think again!

In this episode, Kim and Jill dive into the fascinating world of household bugs—uncovering what their presence actually reveals about your living environment. From creepy silverfish to speedy centipedes and misunderstood spiders, they share personal stories and practical tips for identifying when your home's air quality or moisture levels might need attention.

Key takeaways:
- Spiders can be a sign of healthy, dry air in your home—not just unwanted guests!
- Water-loving bugs like silverfish may indicate hidden dampness or water issues.
- Simple solutions like improving airflow or using dehumidifiers can make a big difference before reaching for chemicals.

Tune in to discover how paying attention to the little critters around you could help create a healthier home!

#HomeHealth
#BugTalkPodcast
#SpidersInTheHouse
#HealthyHomeTips
#AirQualityMatters
#SilverfishAlert
#NaturalPestControl
#CreepyCrawlyFacts
#BasementProblems
#DehumidifierTips
#EcoFriendlyLiving 
#BugsAsIndicators 
#EnvironmentAwareness 
#ListenToYourHome  

#KimAndJillPodcast
#DailyswithKimandJill 
#DailysMiniCast 
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#OneHarmonicWhole

Hello, lovely listeners, and good morning, Kim. Good morning, Jill. Good morning, everyone.

Jill shared with me some really cool information that I did not know about today. And I said, we need to share this information. Actually, you need to share this information. Not me.

Yeah, I was sharing with Kim about… I'm sitting here and I'm looking at a very impressive spider web. Now, I will admire spiders from afar. Not a fan if they're anywhere near me, but I don't panic. Like, if I see them in my house. Some people panic. You know, I get that not only spiders, but bugs. But that got us talking about bugs anyway.

And I was sharing with Kim that years ago, I lived in an apartment that had water issues and… And I learned about bugs in a home and what they tell you about the health of the home. And in this particular apartment, there are all these various, like, water bugs, one of which was called, like—what I knew of at the time—called a silver fish. And I screen captured and sent it to him and… Right. They're gross, aren't they, Kim?

Yeah. Yep. And another kind of sign of lots of water: like centipedes—bugs with lots, lots of legs that move very fast. But they're all like…I don't know…when there's too much water in a space, they're like creepy, creepy, creepy, gross, yelp kind of bugs.

And spiders—while they're kind of gross—spiders are more like "leave me alone." They're not going about their business usually. They're like—they see you and they freeze and they're like "I'm going to pretend I'm not here," and they'll just move on by.

But spiders in a house indicate that your house is dry enough that you have the proper air quality in your home.

So I was sharing with Kim—we have a basement. And every time I see…end up seeing, like spiders or spider webs in our basement—I always do a little like "yes!" I'm so glad they're spiders and not silver fish. And as soon as I see any sort of a water bug, I start hunting around the basement to make sure…I'm checking, smelling, looking everywhere—making sure that it's just like a one-off; this bug got lost.

Yep—not a pattern, you know—but yeah. Learning that anyway all those years ago has helped me have a very healthy appreciation for spiders and their presence in a home.

It's weird because I'll catch them and put them outside. I've been known to kill them on occasion—usually when they're really big—and I'm like "dude, I love that you're here but you can't be in my house." Yes.

Wow. And just as we're talking there's like a big bug that just totally landed on my vehicle on the windshield and he's like looking at me! I can't say it's not a spider; it's like one that kind of looks like a centipede—wow—and his back end is looking like a centipede...like it would totally…it's not a dragonfly either but it's kind of in between—a dragonfly-ish looking thing and like a centipede back end.

What is with the bugs again? Right? There is something because we also saw a news story—I think it was last week—goodness gracious Kim—I do not remember where in the world they found this—but this bug was huge! This bug was so big…something like 18 inches! I don't know—that bug—I just was like oh my God! Like wow!

But they have cool things to teach us and show us and they point to things that are happening in our environment more so than we might realize.

But in your home—you know if you have spiders—there is a moment of celebrating that; you know that means that the air exchange in your home is proper; that you don't have too much damp area—the spiders have moved in and it's actually a good thing.

Yeah. Now don't get me wrong—I swipe them and get rid of them! I personally do not spray because I don't do that kind of thing—but there are other ways (non-chemical ways too) to deter bugs if you don't want to do that but I personally don't do any of that.

I actually…well…I talk with bugs (animals for that reason for that matter). I don't tell spiders "no you can't live here"—and then if they lay a little nest? Nope! Swipe that sucker away! I'm not going to have 100 little mini-spiders running around my home! Oh no! Nope!

But yeah really it related to: just pay attention if you have creepy crawly—look up a silverfish—other water bugs—that indicate you have too much dampness in your house—you want a dehumidifier or you want a fan or you want more air movement; you don't want those spots in your house where you don't have proper air movement.

And quite honestly—I lived in a house (in that apartment once) that had silverfish; I also lived in a place that was too...like...that one was...there were lots of spiders—it was too airtight; there was too much dry air—it was overly efficient—the house was—you know what I mean? Like two seats up? Yeah! There wasn't enough natural air exchange in the home so that home—you had to actually ensure that you had—you could add an air exchanger or whatever—it can get really technical.

But anyway yeah—I was admiring—a spider web this morning and somehow Kim and I got onto this—I’m like “this is really good information—we need to know this.”

Yes! Didn't realize it was good information—I just thought people knew that!

So—a little bit different from the normal tuning-in/tapping-in—and the judgments (like they went away from the judgments).

Yeah—someone told me (like…I was in my early 20s when I was in this place with the Silver Fist)—and I was just flipping out—and they were like: “It just means you have…” Like they were very practical—they knew this stuff—they're like: “It just means you have a water problem in the bathroom; fix the water problem and the bugs will go away.” And I was like “okay!” Got on the phone (because I didn't own it—you know)—so I'm like: Water problem!

Lots of simple things though—a lot of times—to try first before you have to get into complex solutions: fans; dehumidifiers; that kind of thing—but just eliminating the bugs doesn't necessarily change what's going on in your environment.

See? So that's my thing where I really try and appreciate—even when I see spiders—even though I'm not a fan of them—they're telling me—they're showing me what's going on—and I appreciate that.

Yeah.
Nice.
Little chill throughout my whole entire body.
Nice.
Thank you Jill.
Thank you everyone.
Yeah thank you.
All right until next time.