White Tail Spider Myths!

Hey,
I've seen very very little of any spiders. Avondales (huge but harmless) seem only to be found where they are named - Avondale - and only because of the damp proximity of the racecourse near the suburb. You rarely see them anywhere else. Avondales were the buggers they used in the film Arachnaphobia.

There are some Huntsman type things (but not poisonous) around Christchurch ( a friend had one recently), and simliar things around the bush, but its really not even worth worrying about. I came across many many many more spiders in the UK.

Don't worry! Getting bitten by a sandfly is much more painful....

I've seen very very little of any spiders. I came across many many many more spiders in the UK.

Quite agree. We are surrounded by bush, trees and hedges and have not seen half as many spiders as we would during a year in the UK.

About the sandflies, the bite is not so much painful as itchy for days afterwards. However, having said that, it is most likely that the effects of their bite will lessen the longer you are here ... I think we have just reached that point after 9/10 months.

...it is most likely that the effects of their bite will lessen the longer you are here ... I think we have just reached that point after 9/10 months.

I certainly hope so. When I was bitten, the itchies lasted 10 days or more. 1% hydrocortisone cream sure helps, though.

so is it still the case there is nothing poisonous on land.
what about those stone or lion fish whos hobby it seems is to lie onthe sand in shallow waters waiting for someone to stand on there venomous spikes(and i thought golf was a bad hobby)are they or any other nastys in NZ waters.

You get those in the UK johnty. Sticklebacks I belive they're called. A good friend stood on one in Cornwall a few years back.

There are Australian Redbacks in a couple of isolated places in NZ and also the increasingly rare Katipo spider that are poisonous. See creepy crawlies thread or search either name for further info on te forum.

[jdrio]

The problem with white-tail spiders in New Zealand (and in Australia) is just an unfortunate myth. Have a look at this letter recently published by arachnid experts in the NZ Medical Journal:
http://www.derraik.org/Publications/...tail_tales.pdf

NZ is a very safe place from venomous creatures. I would say that wherever you are coming from, you would have much less to worry about in NZ.

[johnnyrs]

I'm a kiwi who returned to NZ in Nov 04 after 13 years away. I'd never heard of white tails until my (English) wife got bitten by one. She had a massive reaction with a golf ball sized lump and loads of pain. She described the spider to the doctor who prescribed pain killers.

Loads of people here haven't heard of the spiders so they're not common and we were just unlucky - and continue to be, having seen 3 or 4 at our house in the last 3 years. I'd say if you see have young ones, particularly babies, and you see a white tail, get your house sprayed. We're going to. It's not expensive, <$50.

I've only ever seen an avondale spider once. They're incredibly big and can move like lightening. They were the spiders in the US 80s movie Arachnophobia.

[johnnyrs]

My wife has just pointed out to me that there is a girl from my son's school in hospital following a (proven) bite from a white tail. She has a nectorising ulcer and won't be released from hospital until it's sorted...

[MotherBear]

And on that comforting thought........

....I'll you to the forum, Johnny. Hope the young girl recovers soon. Perhaps it's something to do with an allergy to the spider's venom? Might explain why some people have a severe reaction while others don't.

[Taffy]

White tail spiders are pretty much a daily event in our house. Hardly a day goes by when I'm not killing one! They are plentyful in this part of the countryside, for sure!