gvbjersey

OK, eveyone goes on about the fact that everything is Oz is out to kill you, sharks, spiders, roos, aussies etc, but what is the NZ equivalent?

Perry Groves

that Weta looks a bit scary!

irish_eyes

jesus mary and holy st joseph - I would truly hate to come face to face with one of those - even tho they are not dangerous.

NZ spiders are all harmless, some nip and some sting but the only dangerous one is the white tail spider. Not very common tho I've heard. Someone on this site will I'm sure know if there are other things out there.

scrubbedexpat094

The katipo spider is the only poisonous spider in NZ, lot of rot talked about the white tail IMHO.

mickey_d

Don't forget the Redback especially if you're near New Plymouth
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/0/A4E...newzealand.pdf

love30stm

its not dangerous just feels like a bee sting Im told when they bite of whatever they do! its just if you get a nasty reaction to the bite just like you would with bees

and not seen a weta yet and been here nearly 2 years!

P2L

THE funniest Expats thread EVER involved a Weta

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...highlight=Weta


Bet you fellas check your 'pants' from now on

Kiwiprincess

The problem I have with weta is the same problem I have with cockroaches.

Basically, in a nuclear war I won't be the one left standing.

That annoys me.

Kiwiprincess

Actually on the weta note, they aren't really too bad.

The last time I saw a weta was on Somes Island (it's an island in the middle of Wellington Harbour) and that was because the department of conservation person showed it to us.

They are fine.

Spiders
Info about whitetails

Avondale Spiders were used in the movie Arachnophobia. They are completely harmless but are scarylooking as heck. So the greatest harm may be whatever your urine does to the carpet after seeing one. They are movie stars though so that's cool.

Or the little Native Katipo. They are little and the chances of you ever seeing one are pretty slim. If it wasn't for the fact I worked with someone who completed his PhD on Katipo spiders I would never see one (he found it and brought it in to work...um thanks mate).

Actually, Te Papa's site has one of the best lines ever in regards to Katipo bites: Katipo bites are very uncommon, and while likely to be unpleasant, are not likely to prove lethal. The very few fatal cases reported are based on rather dubious records from the 1800s (source text on above link).

I'm not sure about you, but I think that "are no likely to prove lethal" is not quite as definite as I would hope!!!

Seriously though, NZ has so few bad creepy crawlies. I saw bigger spiders in the UK in my house than I ever have in New Zealand.

Wellington Will

I got a Weta in my hair on day 5 in the rental house.

I think it was hiding in some boxes I was moving, but I felt something twisting around, reached up and pulled this amber-brown jurassic looking beastie from my hair.

There was this sort of primeval scream from deep within. Bit like a bearded 3 year-old girl.

We've see a few since, and one of our friends has a weta hotel in his garden, a hollowed out tree trunk stuffed full of the be-tentacled monsters.

We've also killed 2 White tailed spiders in the house - one in the bedroom - and are currently battling a mouse that has managed to avoid the traps for over a week.

We've been here for 4 months.

Browner_

I think White Tails are VERY common, certainly in Wellington region.

irish_eyes

Jesus, that is funny! I seriously will be checking everything!

gvbjersey

whats that saying... "sleep well everyone!"

hokeypokey

Will definitely not sleep well after reading this thread!!! Note to self - make sure to pack industrial strentgh mosquito nets to sleep in once arrived!! Beasties are the one thing about emigrating that I'm really really scared about. Have to say tho I'm more worried about cockroaches than spiders - not sure why coz i know cockroaches dont bite. They're just sooooo icky and so bloomin fast. Think my worry also stems from the fact that my hubby (who is usually mr macho I'll just catch it and release it into the wilderness to live happily ever after with all the other harmless little beasties etc etc) also turns into a jibbering wreck at the sight of a roach. Anyone got any good tips on getting rid of the little blighters? I know they will survive a nuclear holocaust blah blah but surely there must be something I can to do to convince them that they really dont want to be living in my house??

gvbjersey

when backpacking several years ago, I found a size 8 downwards was a solution, if you don't the sound and mess

On another note, anything in the water locally to be wary of?