Are there lots of spiders in new zealand

Redback spiders are originally from Australia. They have been established in limited areas in New Zealand since the early s and continue to arrive in cargo such as motor vehicles, machinery, fruit and containers, usually those imported from Australia. They make their thimble-shaped webs on the undersides of ledges, stone overhangs and vegetation.

They are more likely than katipo to make their homes around houses to take advantage of the warm environment. Redbacks will only bite when disturbed or trapped in clothing, and bites are rare. The bite feels like a sharp pain similar to a pinprick. The bite may lead to localised redness, pain and sweating. Occasionally the pain and sweating may spread and stomach pain may occur.

Aches in muscles and joints, nausea and vomiting, and increased heart rate and blood pressure can result. Care needs to be taken when handling imported goods, especially those from Australia. If you do find a redback on recently imported goods, contain it and report it to the Ministry for Primary Industries MPI There is a second native Katipo species, the black Katipo Latrodectus atricus which is found mainly in the north of the North Island. It does not have the red stripe of the katipo or redback and is not considered dangerous.

Also very similar to Katipos is the false Katipo, Steatoda capensis , from South Africa, which is now widespread in New Zealand and is found in a range of habitats from houses to beaches. It looks similar to the katipo but its red markings are extremely faint and are limited to the rear most part of the abdomen. The decline in katipo numbers is probably due to Steatoda capensis , as they reproduce more readily than the katipo and are better at taking over newly vacant sites.

White-tailed spiders are from Australia. Lampona murina has been in the North Island for over years and Lampona cylindrata has become widespread in the South Island since about Both species of white-tailed spider live almost entirely on other spiders.

They can be found in vegetation in gardens and bush, and around houses, which they like for the warmth. White-tailed spiders do not build webs.

These arresting arachnids might just be the most commonly found spiders New Zealand has. Endemic to Australia and New Zealand, they are known as vagrant spiders. Go searching and you could probably find them hiding in every garden Down Under. They also love thick forest undergrowth, meaning the untouched and protected woods of South and North islands are just about perfect.

There are a number of different species of vagrant spiders, some a more common sight than others. They are not particularly harmful, but they can move very quickly and do not like to be disturbed.

Their bites have been known to be incredibly painful, akin to a bee or wasp sting, and there have been reported cases of complications in victims that include severe swelling and joint fatigue. The black cobweb is certainly up there with the most creepy-looking spiders in New Zealand. These guys are easily identified by their shiny, round bodies. Black cobweb spiders have white markings on the belly, which the katipo does not. They are also far more common in New Zealand than the katipo spider — thankfully, since the latter is much more venomous!

Black cobweb spiders are actually native to South Africa. Be warned: These guys do bite. All wolf spiders are thought to be venomous in some shape or form. More research is needed into how severe their bites can be. Some reports indicate that wolf spiders can cause seriously painful necrotic wounds that might require hospitalization.

However, most evidence indicates that bites are usually more in line with a bee sting, causing local inflammation and redness. There are two species of white-tailed spiders in New Zealand, and both of them are among the most commonly spotted spider in the country. Much like the slater spider, the white-tailed spider does not spin a web to catch its prey.

When I was four years old a tunnelweb spider crawled up my leg. Let me tell you, when you are four years old, one of these spiders looks like a tarantula. I can still see it in my mind's eye, covering my kneecap as it climbed ever higher.

At this point I let out a yell, shook it off, and squashed it with a rock that I doubt I could have lifted under normal circumstances. I remember nightmares about spiders that must have been based on that incident. Later, I put my hand on what I thought was a lump on a tree trunk, only to be revolted when it sprouted legs because it was actually a well-disguised orb web spider.

So what changed? Like many fears, mine was at least partly grounded in ignorance. Often it is harder to be afraid of something you understand.

Human dwellings can potentially provide them with conditions similar to those they would normally seek in the wild. Read more about the Christchurch huntsman. A genuine surprise to find white-tailed spiders in 10th place — Phil was expecting them to be slugging it out for top spot with the black tunnelweb.

This is probably because two recent blogs written by Phil about white-tail spider bites links below have been wildly popular and have likely split the traffic. Maybe we should write more spider blogs. They are rather unusual in that they specialise in catching other spiders, particularly the common and well established Australian species, the grey house spider Badumna longinqua.

This may trick the resident spider into investigating the disturbance and so instead of gaining a meal, it becomes one when the white-tail strikes.

While their bite is known to be painful, Australian research indicates their venom is not medically significant. Read more about the white-tailed spider. Need help identifying the arachnid in your life? Want to explore all the wonderful spiders in Aotearoa? These columns were at the grasses edge before it became bare ground by flax bushes and a pine plantation.

At the time we thought these were a spiders habitat, we tapped the columns gently a few times but nothing ventured out. The columns themselves were a light to mid brown colour. Were we barking up the wrong tree thinking these were a spiders domain? Skip to content. By: Daniel Crichton-Rouse. On: 17 Dec Photo by iNaturalist user schneehagen.