Creepy Crawlies

[nattydread]

Having spent most of today battling with wasps, I wondered what kind of pests are prevalant in NZ. Is there anything that comes close to the midge's of scotland or the bloody wasps that seem to increase in number every year?
I know there are cockroaches around.. are there any other dodgy beasties about, (or dangerous beasties even..)

the Power Rangers are filmed there, does that count?! :icon_lol:

[netchicken]

Craig, the further away you get the more it seems like home.

Wasps,

Midges - worse in the South Island you get sandflies, whilst for a change in critters, you get Mosquetos in the North island.

At least we don't have any snakes, bears or nasty spiders....

[jamesthecarman]

Coming from Florida, it almost seems as though New Zealand is void of pests.

The Florida state bird is the mosquito. Well, not really, but if it were a bird, it would be. Also I've had my tramping in Florida cut short several times bc a group of bees think it's fun to chase me around (and I'm not flailing my arms or anything to "attract" them).

So the jist of that is....when walking around about the only thing you may have to worry about is slipping on a rock. No snakes. No mosquitos (compared to FL). No....etc.

[Lisa]

Hmmmmm what about the Katipo spider, you need an anti venom for that! or the white tail spider, that's nasty too I hear, that's about it for nasties but NZ has a few uglies, cockies and weta bugs to name a couple :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif

[Ady]

Hey Lisa!
These spiders - quite little things on the coast aren't they?
My wifes a little worried, but after talking to NZ friends was better. They said, most people never see a Katipo let alone get bitten by one. Don't know if they just said that to make her feel better....
:icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif
But I suppose its all relative. Its BIG spider season now here, 2 in the bedroom last week, one too big to trap under a glass. Not nice!! We get rats here in rural lincolnshire and they are a pain. I had one in the garage last month - 20 inches including its tail after I flattened it with a cricket bat! And for some reason we have become the snake capital of the UK. Mainly grassies but seen 2 adders this year and quite big ones too.
So, I can't wait to go!!

[netchicken]

White tailed spiders are around, but they only give a bad bite, if you are unfortunate not to killt hem first.

Katapo spiders are so rare you have to hunt THEM out. I have never seen one live.

BTW as sandflies are a native insect they are protected.
Therefore you are not allowed to kill them and to remove them from your body you can only gently blow on them and encourage them to leave.

If you want nasties, move to Aussie, there EVERYTHING sees you as food.

[Lisa]

Ummmm nah, think i'll stay away from Oz... on a permanent basis anyway, had a good trip there but was constantly looking around myself :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif

What about Avondales? they aren't venomous but they were the spiders used in arachnaphobia, I think? So... do they jump?

Ady, tell your wife not to worry, I didn't see a single spider on my travels around NZ, but yeah, like you said it's the time spiders are around here, we had a massive one in the house a couple of weeks ago :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif

[lainy]

living in west of scotland and nothing not even poisonous snakes or spiders can deter me , if i can cope with the b***dy midgie then i can cope with anything .... one day in glencoe and u would be half a stone lighter due to blood loss from them

[netchicken]

BTW there is a beach here, called "Sandfly Hell". Its actually named that on the map... in the South Island