Yes spiders help
. I didn’t realise there had been a shortage of spiders but now you mention it yes hardly seen any for ages. There must be a big one in our bedroom though as I noticed an enormous cobweb about two feet long!
Yes I freeze everything - treats, hanster mix, hay, grass hits or hammocks, hemp mat, millet spray, bendy bridges, anything with bark on. Some people have had barkwood items with woodworm! Hay especially needs freezing as it can contain mites. It does no harm - but takes time as not enough space in the freezer if you have a few things at once.
I must gave missed something last year to get another outbreak. It depends on the storage warehouse conditions of the place you buy stuff from as well. People had a lot of moth problems from one particular retailer a few years ago. I tend to stick to Amazon and Zooplus for food and treats for that reason. I’ve also frozen Rodipet food to be on the safe side but they are supposed to be good generally. Anything I buy to go in a hamster cage either get frozen or wiped down with a cloth or washed first - just in case it’s been stored in a mothy warehouse.